Please click on the links below for the various filings and services:

File annual return	$12
Incorporate	$200
Order uncertified copies of corporate documents	Free
Get a certificate of compliance	$10
Get a certificate of existence	$10
Amend articles	$0 / $200	Corporation key required
Pre-approve a corporate name	Free
View/change director information	Free	Corporation key required
Change registered office information	Free	Corporation key required
Add/Change additional address	Free	Corporation key required
Subscribe to annual return reminder emails	Free
Subscribe to email notice	Free
File financial statements	Free	Corporation key required
Order a corporate profile	Free

Services for not-for-profit corporations

Services for not-for-profit corporations
File by-laws	Free	Corporation key required

Services for business corporations

Services for business corporations
Register a federal corporation in a province or territory	Variable cost	Corporation key required
Continue a business into the CBCA Express service available	$200
Dissolve a corporation	Free	Corporation key required
Revoke intent to dissolve	$50
File a proxy circular	Free	Corporation key required

When starting a company, it’s essential to select the business structure that best supports your goals. 

There are three types of legal structures for a business:

• sole proprietorship
• partnership (which is a form of proprietorship)
• corporation

1. Sole proprietorship

A sole proprietorship is informal and easily created, which is why it is the most common structure chosen by new businesses.

In this structure, the business and the operator are one and the same in the eyes of legal and tax authorities. Tax law treats a sole proprietorship as an income source for the proprietor and therefore requires that the business’s financial details be listed in a separate section of the personal income tax form.

In a sole proprietorship, the business’s money and responsibilities are the proprietor’s, and vice versa.

This presents some possibilities for tax management on the part of the sole proprietor. If the business generates a loss, that loss can be applied to reduce income gained from other sources. That is why most part-time businesses are sole proprietorships.

However, sole proprietorships have a downside in that the proprietor is personally liable for all functions and debts of the business.

2. Partnership

A partnership is similar, but instead of one proprietor there are two or more.

As with a sole proprietorship, there is no legal structure for a partnership. However, partners usually have some type of contractual agreement that governs, in percentage terms, the sharing of revenues, expenses and tasks.

When preparing their taxes, the partners apply those same percentages to their income and expenses.

3. Corporation

Corporations are more complicated legal structures compared to sole proprietorships or partnerships. Incorporation is a process in which a separate legal entity, owned by its shareholders, is formed. Incorporation creates formal ownership shares, which produces a taxation and legal distance between the company and the shareholders.

This in turn has tax advantages for the owners, who can be paid as employees of the corporation or through dividends.

Incorporation provides some liability protection for the corporation’s debts and offers some measure of protection for a company’s name. Company officers and shareholders may come and go, but the corporation exists until it is wound down.

Incorporation is most often done under a charter in the operator’s home province, but some companies that operate in many provinces or internationally, or that require enhanced credibility, incorporate federally, which is more costly and complicated.

Corporations must keep meticulous records and register the business and report corporate taxes annually

Many entrepreneurs are not interested in the idea of incorporating, at least not in the early stages of building a business or until the business starts earning income.

4 Steps to incorporate a business in Canada

Entrepreneurs who want to incorporate can do so directly online on the Corporations Canada website. Here are the four steps to incorporate:

1. Choose and register the corporation name (company name or number).
2. Create articles of incorporation – Basic incorporation suggests pre-determined articles of incorporation that can be modified later if necessary.
3. Establish the initial address of the head office and board of directors. Choose an address where you can be sure you will receive any documents that are sent there, as legally it will be assumed that they have been received by the organization. You must also decide who will sit on your board of directors.
4. Pay the fees at the registry office.

The Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) gives income support to employed and self-employed individuals who are directly affected by COVID-19 and are not entitled to Employment Insurance (EI) benefits. The CRB is administered by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).

If you are eligible for the CRB, you can receive $1,000 ($900 after taxes withheld) for a 2-week period.

If your situation continues past 2 weeks, you will need to apply again. You may apply up to a total of 19 eligibility periods (38 weeks) between September 27, 2020 and September 25, 2021.

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible for the CRB, you must meet all the following conditions for the 2-week period you’re applying for:

During the period you’re applying for:

• you were not employed or self-employed for reasons related to COVID-19

or

• you had a 50% reduction in your average weekly income compared to the previous year due to COVID-19

How to calculate the 50% reduction

The 50% reduction is based on your average weekly employment or net self-employment income from the previous year.

• For periods in 2020, use either 2019 or the previous 12 months
  • For periods in 2021, use 2019, 2020, or the previous 12 months

You will need to check that you meet this criteria for every period you apply for.

 Example:

2020, 2019, or the last 12 months

$26, 000 (employment and self-employment income in 2019, 2020, or the last 12 months)

÷ 52

= $500 (average weekly income in 2019, 2020, or the last 12 months)

÷   2

= $250 (50% of the average weekly income in 2019, 2020, or the last 12 months)

CRB 2-week period

$100 (employment and self-employment income for the CRB period)

÷   2

= $50 (average weekly income for the CRB period)

Your average weekly income for the CRB period must be less than 50% of your average weekly income in 2019, 2020, or the last 12 months for periods in 2021.

In this example, since $50 (average weekly income for the CRB period) is less than $250 (50% of the average weekly income in 2019, 2020, or the last 12 months), the individual would meet this criterion.

For this calculation, self-employment income is your revenue minus any expenses incurred to earn the self-employment revenue.

Employment and/or self-employment income includes, among other things:

• tips you may earn while working
  • non-eligible dividends
  • honoraria (such as nominal amounts paid to emergency service volunteers)
  • royalties (such as those paid to artists)

Do not include the following in the calculation:

• Canada Pension Plan (CPP), Québec Pension Plan (QPP), or other pension income
  • Social assistance or family support payments
  • Student loans and bursaries
  • Old Age Security (OAS) payments
  • Maternity and parental benefits from EI or similar QPIP benefits
  • Any Canada COVID-19 emergency or recovery benefits

You did not apply for or receive any of the following:

• Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB)
  • Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB)
  • short-term disability benefits
  • Employment Insurance (EI) benefits
  • Québec Parental Insurance Plan (QPIP) benefits
• You were not eligible for EI benefits

• Find out if you qualify for EI benefits

You may be eligible for EI benefits if you:

• were employed for at least 120 insurable hours in the past 52 weeks
• have not quit your job voluntarily
  • are ready, willing and capable of working each day (for EI regular benefits)
  • are temporarily unable to work while you care for someone else or yourself (for EI maternity, parental, sickness, compassionate care, and family caregiver benefits)

If you are eligible for EI benefits, you will receive a minimum taxable benefit at a rate of $500 per week, or $300 per week for extended parental benefits.

If you received the CERB, the 52 week period to accumulate the insured hours will be extended.

You reside in Canada – You live and have a home in Canada, but do not have to be a citizen or a permanent resident.

You were present in Canada:

• You are at least 15 years old
• You have a valid Social Insurance Number (SIN)
• You earned at least $5,000 in 2019, 2020, or in the 12 months before the date you apply from any of the following sources:
  • employment income (total or gross pay)
  • net self-employment income (after deducting expenses)
  • maternity and parental benefits from EI or similar QPIP benefits

What counts towards the $5,000

• Counts as income:
  • All employment or self-employment income, including:
    • tips
    • non-eligible dividends
    • honoraria (nominal amounts paid to volunteers)
    • royalties (payments to artists)
  • ·        Does not count as income:
    • disability benefits
    • student loans, bursaries or scholarships
    • social assistance or family support payments
    • Canada Pension Plan (CPP), Québec Pension Plan (QPP), or other pension income
    • Old Age Security (OAS) payments
    • amounts from other COVID-19 benefits:
      • Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB)
      • Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB)
      • Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB)
      • Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB)
      • Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB)

You have not quit your job or reduced your hours voluntarily on or after September 27, 2020, unless it was reasonable to do so

Penalty:

If you voluntarily quit your job on or after September 27, 2020, you will not be eligible to receive the CRB.

You were seeking work during the period, either as an employee or in self-employment  Provincial course exception

If you attended a course, program, or training referred to you by a provincial government or provincial body during the 2-week period, you may be eligible for the CRB if you also meet all the other eligibility criteria.You may work while receiving the CRB

You may earn employment or self-employment income while you receive the CRB. But the CRB has an income threshold of $38,000.

You will have to reimburse $0.50 for every dollar of net income you earn above $38,000 on your income tax return for that year (2020 or 2021). You will not have to pay back more than your benefit amount for that year.

You have not turned down reasonable work during the 2-week period you’re applying for  

• Penalty for refusing work

If you refuse reasonable work, you will automatically lose 5 periods (10 weeks) of the CRB eligibility periods. You must also wait 5 periods (10 weeks) before you can re-apply. If you refuse work again, you will face the penalty again.

• You were not self-isolating or in quarantine due to international travel

• Exceptions:

This does not apply to you if you were isolating because:

• you travelled for medical treatment certified by a medical practitioner
  • you accompanied a person who is not able to travel without help from an attendant to get medical treatment certified by a medical practitioner
  • you are an essential worker who travelled for reasons normally exempt from quarantine when you return to Canada (such health care workers or truck drivers who need to cross the border for work) but were required to this time

If one of these exceptions applies to you and you meet all other eligibility criteria, call the CRA to apply: 1-800-959-8281You need all of the above to be eligible for the CRB.

What is a peer-to-peer sale?

A peer-to-peer (P2P) sale is the selling of goods or services from one person or party directly to another. You may be involved in P2P selling if you are connecting with buyers through online platforms.

Income tax implications

As a resident of Canada, you have to report your income from all sources inside and outside of the country, including P2P transactions, on your tax return. If you paid tax on foreign income, you could be eligible for a tax credit.

It is important to maintain proper financial records of all your sales and expenses. This applies to the sales you make to buyers in Canada and other countries. Keep records of all your purchases to claim eligible expenses on your return.

GST/HST implications

You may have a reasonable expectation of profit from your online activities, and your total taxable supply may be valued at more than $30,000 over four calendar quarters. If so, you will need to register for, collect and pay to the Canada Revenue Agency the goods and services tax / harmonized sales tax (GST/HST) for taxable supplies of goods and services that you made inside and outside Canada. You can get more details on GST/HST registration requirements at: Find out if you must register for a GST/HST account.

How to correct your tax affairs

If you did not report your income from P2P selling, you may have to pay tax, penalties and interest on that income. You can avoid or reduce penalties and interest by voluntarily correcting your tax affairs. To correct your tax affairs (including corrections to GST/HST returns) and to report income that you did not report in previous years, you may:

• Ask for a change to your income tax and benefit return
• Adjust a GST/HST return
• Apply for a correction through the Voluntary Disclosures Program

You will need to keep information to support your 10% Temporary Wage Subsidy for Employers (TWS) calculation. The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) may ask you to provide the following:

• total eligible remuneration paid from March 18 to June 19, 2020
• federal, provincial, or territorial income tax deducted from the remuneration paid
• Canada Pension Plan contributions (CPP), Employment Insurance premiums (EI) deducted from the remuneration paid
• total number of eligible employees employed from March 18 to June 19, 2020

Form required for reporting: PD27

Click the link for the: Form PD27 Use this form to reconcile the TWS on your payroll program (RP) accounts.

You need to complete and submit Form PD27 to the CRA if you are eligible to take advantage of the TWS and:

• you already reduced your remittances
• you intend to reduce your remittances (the form will help you calculate your eligible TWS amount)
• you claimed the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) and, as a result, need to confirm on Form PD27 the amount of the TWS you are taking advantage of (refer to Line F of your CEWS application).

Submit the completed form to the CRA as soon as possible to avoid receiving a discrepancy notice at the end of the year. You do not need to wait until you file your T4 information return. It can be submitted by the following methods:

• online via My Business Account – scan and submit using “Submit documents”;
• mail: Winnipeg NVCC, 66 Stapon Road, Winnipeg MB, R3C 3M2; or
• fax: 204-984-4138.

If you were not eligible for the subsidy

The CRA will use information from your Form PD27 to reconcile the subsidy on your payroll program (RP) account(s). If you reduced your payroll remittances, but it is later determined you were not eligible for the TWS, the CRA will assess you for the income tax you deducted from your employees’ pay, but did not remit. This assessment may include penalties and interest.

Reporting the subsidy as taxable income

If you take advantage of the TWS, you must report the total subsidy amount as income on your tax return in the same year you reduced your remittances.

December 7, 2020 Update

• Eligible Canadian businesses that currently operate through a personal or business bank account will be able to apply for CEBA.
• All applicants have until December 31, 2020, to apply for the $40,000 initial loan and until March 31, 2021 for the $20,000 expansion loan at your financial institution.

Eligibility Requirements for the initial $40,000 loan

The CEBA application process follows one of two streams: (i) the Payroll Stream (Applicants with employment income paid in the 2019 calendar year between Cdn.$20,000 and Cdn.$1,500,000) or (ii) the Non-Deferrable Expense Stream (Applicants with Cdn.$20,000 or less in total employment income paid in the 2019 calendar year).

Every applicant must meet the following criteria:

• Has an active CRA Business Number (BN) with an effective date of registration on or prior to March 1, 2020.
• Has an active business chequing/operating account with the Lender at the time of applying for CEBA. Note: If Borrower currently does not have a business chequing/operating account the Borrower must create one at their primary financial institution before applying for CEBA.
• Has not previously used the Canada Emergency Business Account Program (the “Program”) and will not apply for support under the Program at any other financial institution.
• Intends to continue to operate its business or to resume operations.

If you fall into the Payroll Stream and once you have completed the application with your financial institution, the Government of Canada will assess the application and inform your financial institution of the approval or decline of the loan. If approved, your financial institution will provide the funds into your business chequing / operating account.

If you fall into the Non-Deferrable Expenses Stream you must also meet the following criteria:

• Have eligible non-deferrable expenses between Cdn. $40,000 and Cdn. $1,500,000. Eligible non-deferrable expenses could include costs such as rent, property taxes, utilities, and insurance. Expenses will be subject to verification and audit by the Government of Canada.
• Filed an income tax return with the CRA with a tax year ending in 2019 or, if its tax return for 2019 has not yet been submitted, 2018.

CEBA applications under the 2020 Eligible Non-Deferrable Expenses Stream will follow a three-step process:

Step 1: Complete the online Pre-Screen Tool. The Pre-Screen Tool is not a CEBA application and is solely intended to provide a non-binding indication of eligibility to inform your decision of whether to open a business account (if needed) and apply for CEBA at your financial institution. If you are declined at this step you can still apply for CEBA and therefore still need to complete the next two steps as identified.

Step 2: Businesses will initiate applications directly at their primary financial institution where they hold their primary business chequing /operating account. The financial institution will then direct applicants to Step 3 of the application process.

Step 3: Following the initial application through your financial institution, applicants will be directed to a CEBA website to provide supporting documentation of the 2020 Eligible Non-Deferrable Expenses and to complete the application.

The Government of Canada will assess application information submitted via financial institutions together with the supporting documentation and information provided in Step 3. If successful, the Government of Canada will notify your financial institution and provide funding for your CEBA loan.

Requirements for the additional $20,000 expanded loan

As of December 4, 2020, CEBA loans for eligible businesses will increase from $40,000 to $60,000.

Applicants who have received the $40,000 CEBA loan may apply for the $20,000 expansion, which provides eligible businesses with an additional $20,000 in financing directly at their bank.

All applicants have until March 31, 2021, to apply for $60,000 CEBA loan or the $20,000 expansion.

The main requirement to recieve the additional $20,000 loan is an attestation statement. This means that you would need to attest to:

• facing ongoing financial hardship;
• having made reasonable attempts to adapt the business to COVID-19 (and reduce expenses);
• intention to continue the business; and
• using the additional $20,000 for specific purposes (non-deferrable eligible expenses for 2020 or 2021).

The deadline to apply for the $20,000 expansion at your financial institution is March 31, 2021.

CRA (Canada Revenue Agency) has implemented the following changes to their procedures in regards to collections, audit, objections, and appeals due to COVID-19 as follows:

Collections

Collections activities on new debts will be suspended until further notice, and flexible payment arrangements will be available.

If you can’t pay your taxes, child and family benefit overpayments, Canada Student Loans, or other government program overpayments in full, payment arrangements are available.

Collections staff will address pre-existing situations on a case-by-case basis to prevent financial hardship.

Banks, and employers and other third parties do not need to comply or remit on existing Requirements to pay (RTP) during this time.

Audits

The CRA is resuming a full range of audit work.  They are prioritizing actions that are beneficial to the taxpayer or where taxpayers have indicated there is an urgency to advancing their audit. They focusing on higher dollar audits first, audits close to completion, and those with a strategic importance to the Government of Canada, provinces and territories, or our tax treaty partners. In addition, efforts to combat suspected fraud and other criminal activity are advancing.

New methods of taxpayer and registrant interaction will be required, and the CRA is working to develop procedures and protocols to adapt these COVID-19 health restrictions including providing taxpayers with the option to send information via e-mail.

Objections, appeals and taxpayer relief

Objections related to Canadians’ entitlement to benefits and credits have been identified as a critical service and will continue to be delivered during COVID-19. There should not be any delays with the processing of these objections.

For objections related to other tax matters filed by individuals and businesses, the CRA is currently holding these accounts in abeyance. No collection action will be taken with respect to these accounts at this time.

For objections that are due between March 18, 2020 and June 30, 2020, CRA is effectively extending the deadline to June 30, 2020.

The Tax Court of Canada is currently closed.

Taxpayers who are unable to file a return or make a payment by the tax-filing and payment deadlines because of COVID-19 can request the cancellation of penalty and interest charged to their account. Penalties and interest will not be charged if the new deadlines that the government has announced to tax-filing and payments are met.

Once business operations resume, the Taxpayer Relief Program will review requests related to COVID-19 on a priority basis.

Suspending individual (T1) validation and review activities

Some review and verification activities were initiated prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and clients may have been contacted to provide supporting information in relation to amounts claimed on their individual tax and benefit returns. If Canadians have received any CRA correspondence that includes dates for response or provision of documents for validation and verification programs, no action is required from them at this time.

The CECRA for small businesses application portal opens at 8:00 a.m. EST on May 25, 2020.

Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) for small businesses provides relief for small businesses experiencing financial hardship due to COVID-19. It offers unsecured, forgivable loans to eligible commercial property owners to:

• reduce the rent owed by their impacted small business tenants
• meet operating expenses on commercial properties

Property owners must offer a minimum of a 75% rent reduction for the months of April, May and June 2020.

To qualify for CECRA for small businesses, the commercial property owner must:

• own commercial real property* which is occupied by one or more impacted small business tenants
• enter (or have already entered) into a legally binding rent reduction agreement for the period of April, May and June 2020, reducing an impacted small business tenant’s rent by at least 75%
• ensure the rent reduction agreement with each impacted tenant includes:
  • a moratorium on eviction for the period during which the property owner agrees to apply the loan proceeds, and  
  • a declaration of rental revenue included in the attestation.

The commercial property owner is not and is not controlled by an individual holding federal or provincial political office.

CECRA will not apply to any federal-, provincial-, or municipal-owned properties, where the government is the landlord of the small business tenant.

Exceptions

• Where there is a long-term lease to a First Nation, or Indigenous organization or government, the First Nation or Indigenous organization or government is eligible for CECRA for small businesses as a property owner.
• Where there are long-term commercial leases with third parties to operate the property (for example, airports), the third party is eligible as the property owner.
• Also eligible are post-secondary institutions, hospitals, and pension funds, as well as crown corporations with limited appropriations designated as eligible under CECRA for small businesses.

NOTE: Small businesses that opened on or after March 1, 2020 are not eligible.

* Commercial Real Property is defined as a commercial property with small business tenants. Commercial properties with a residential component and multi-unit residential mixed-use properties would equally be eligible with respect to their small business tenants.

NOTE: Properties with or without a mortgage are eligible under CECRA for small businesses.

What is an impacted small business tenant?

Impacted small business tenants are businesses — including non-profit and charitable organizations — that:

• pay no more than $50,000 in monthly gross rent per location (as defined by a valid and enforceable lease agreement)
• generate no more than $20 million in gross annual revenues, calculated on a consolidated basis (at the ultimate parent level)
• have experienced at least a 70% decline in pre-COVID-19 revenues **

NOTE: Eligible small business tenants who are in sub-tenancy arrangements are also eligible if these lease structures meet program criteria.

CMHC administers CECRA for small businesses on behalf of the Government of Canada.

The program offers assistance for the months of April, May and June 2020.

• Property owners can apply later and the program will be applied retroactively.
• Property owners may still apply for assistance once the 3-month period has ended if they can prove eligibility during those months. The end date for applications is August 31, 2020.
• Property owners must use the funds from CECRA to refund amounts in excess of 25% paid by the small business tenant for the period or at the option of the impacted tenant apply rent paid in excess of 25% to future rent owing by the impacted tenant. ***

*** If rent has been collected at the time of approval, a credit to the tenant for a future month’s rent (i.e. July for April) is acceptable — if the tenant chooses this option. This can be a flexible 3-month period.  

The deadline to apply is August 31, 2020.

CMHC will provide forgivable loans to eligible commercial property owners. Funds will be transferred to the property owner’s financial institution.

• The loans will cover up to 50% of the monthly gross rent owed by impacted small business tenants during the 3-month period of April, May and June 2020.
• The property owner will be responsible for no less than half of the remaining 50% of the monthly gross rent payments (paying no less than 25% of the total).
• The small business tenant will be responsible for no more than half of the remaining 50% of the monthly gross rent payments (paying no more than 25% of the total).

For more information, please click the following link:

https://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/finance-and-investing/covid19-cecra-small-business

Update: May 22, 2020

The Canadian government has announced the following support for seniors:

1. Registered Retirement Income Funds (RRIFs) minimum withdrawal reduced

The minimum withdrawals requirement from RRIFs will be reduced by 25% for 2020, in recognition of volatile market conditions and their impact on many seniors’ retirement savings.

2. One-time non-taxable payment for seniors

The payment for seniors provides support through a one-time payment:

• $300 for seniors eligible for the Old Age Security pension, and
• an additional $200 for seniors eligible for the Guaranteed Income Supplement

This measure will give a total of $500 to seniors who receive both the Old Age Security pension and the Guaranteed Income Supplement, and will help them cover increased costs caused by COVID-19.

Eligibility

The one-time payment for seniors is available to individuals who are eligible to receive the Old Age Security pension or the Guaranteed Income Supplement in June 2020.

How to apply

You do not have to apply. All individuals who are eligible to receive the Old Age Security pension or the Guaranteed Income Supplement in June 2020 will receive the one-time payment for seniors.

Method of payment

The one-time payment for seniors will be paid to your bank account if you are enrolled for Direct Deposit. If you are not enrolled for Direct Deposit, you will receive a cheque.

Payment amount

If you only receive the Old Age Security pension, you will receive a single payment of $300.

If you receive the Old Age Security pension and the Guaranteed Income Supplement, you will receive a single payment of $500.

If you receive the Allowance or the Allowance for the Survivor, you will receive a single payment of $500.

Spouse and common-law partner

You and your spouse or common-law partner will each receive $500 if you are both receiving the Guaranteed Income Supplement.

For couples where one partner receives the Guaranteed Income Supplement and one partner (between the age of 60 and 64) receives the Allowance, the partner receiving the Guaranteed Income Supplement will receive $500 and the partner receiving the Allowance will receive $500.

Allowance for the Survivor

Recipients of the Allowance for the Survivor will receive the $500 for the Guaranteed Income Supplement.

Non-taxable payment

The one-time payment for seniors is non-taxable. You will receive the full amount (no withholds). You will not receive a tax slip and you will not have to report this amount in your 2020 tax return.

The Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB) provides financial support to post-secondary students, and recent post-secondary and high school graduates who are unable to find work due to COVID-19.

This benefit is for students who do not qualify for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) or Employment Insurance (EI).

From May to August 2020, the CESB provides a payment to eligible students of:

$1,250       For each 4-week period

or

$2,000       For each 4-week period, if you have dependants or a disability

You can only apply for one eligibility period at a time. If your situation continues, you must re-apply for another 4-week eligibility period.

Post-secondary students

The CESB is available to eligible post-secondary students, post-secondary graduates, and students who have recently left their post-graduate studies.

You can start applying during the May 10 to June 6 eligibility period. If your situation continues, you must re-apply for another 4-week eligibility period.

Eligibility periods for post-secondary students:

• May 10 to June 6, 2020
• June 7 to July 4, 2020
• July 5 to August 1, 2020
• August 2 to August 29, 2020

Graduating high school students

The CESB is only available to eligible students who:

• completed or expect to complete high school, or received, or expect to receive their high school equivalency in 2020
• applied for a post-secondary educational program that starts before February 1, 2021

If you complete high school:

• before June 7, 2020, your high school completion date must be before the start of the first eligibility period you are applying for
• after June 7, 2020, you can only apply for 2 eligibility periods, starting from the July 5 to August 1 eligibility period

Two ways to apply:

Online – My CRA Account:

https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/e-services/e-services-individuals/account-individuals.html

By phone – 1-800-959-2019 or 1-800-959-2041

Before you call to verify your identity, you’ll need:

• your Social Insurance Number (SIN); and
• postal code

Please click the following link for more information:

https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/benefits/emergency-student-benefit.html