Deferral of GST/HST Tax Remittances (COVID-19 Measures)

Q1- What fiscal measures is the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) taking to help Canadian businesses manage their GST/HST payments and remittances?

A1- The CRA understands that businesses might be dealing with difficulties in making their GST/HST payments or remittances.

The CRA will allow all businesses to defer, until the end of June 2020, any GST/HST payments or remittances that become owing on or after March 27, 2020, and before June 2020. This means that no interest will apply if your payments or remittances are made by the end of June 2020.

The deadline for businesses to file their returns is unchanged. Those who are able to, should continue to file their GST/HST returns on time reporting their net tax for the reporting period to help facilitate tax compliance and administration. However, recognizing the difficult circumstances faced by businesses, the CRA won’t impose penalties where a return is filed late provided that it is filed by June 30th.

Q2: I am an annual filer who is required to make quarterly GST/HST instalment payments. Does the announced deferral apply to instalment payments?

A2: Yes, any GST/HST instalment payments due on or after March 27, 2020, and before June 2020 can be deferred until the end of June 2020. No interest will apply if the instalment payment amounts are paid by the end of June 2020.

Q3: I am an individual with a calendar year reporting period who is not required to file my GST/HST return until June 15th. Am I still required to remit the net tax owing for my
2019 reporting period by April 30, 2020.

A3: No, the remittance of your net tax can be deferred until the end of June 2020. No interest
will apply if the net tax is remitted by the end of June 2020.

Q4: The Government has now announced temporary payment deferrals for income tax, GST/HST and Customs duties. Will there be a similar deferral for excise taxes and duties?

A4: Excise taxes and duties are still required to be remitted by their prescribed due dates. If you are having difficulty making your payment on time, you can contact the CRA and request that any related interest on outstanding amounts be waived. Decisions to waive interest are made on a case by case basis.

Q5: Will my GST/HST return be processed if I file it electronically?

A5: GST/HST returns that are filed electronically will be processed unless they require client contact or additional review. Those returns will not be processed until normal operations resume.

To check on the status of your GST/HST return, please log in to My Business Account where there are many self-service options such as viewing expected and filed returns, viewing the notice of assessment and signing up for direct deposit. More information can be found here:
https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/e-services/e-servicesbusinesses/business-account.html

Q6: Will my GST/HST return be processed if I mail in a paper copy?

A6: Paper copies of GST/HST returns will not be processed until normal operations resume. We
encourage registrants to file electronically. More information can be found here:
https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/e-services/e-servicesbusinesses/business-account.html

Q7: If I am expecting a refund after filing my GST/HST return, will my refund still be processed and issued?

A7: GST/HST returns filed electronically that do not require client contact or additional review
will be processed and a refund will be issued if there is no balance owing.
Registrants should sign up for Direct Deposit through My Business Account in order to receive
their refunds. More information can be found here:
https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/about-canada-revenue-agency-cra/directdeposit.html

Q8: Who can I contact to get more information on my GST/HST account during this pandemic?

A8: We encourage clients to use our self-serve options like My Business Account and our website to find information and to find answers to their questions. Log in to My Business
Account to check the status of your GST/HST account. More information can be found here:
https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/e-services/e-servicesbusinesses/business-account.html

Q9: Will GST/HST Rebates continue to be processed?

A9: Only the GST/HST rebate applications filed electronically for Federal, Provincial and Territorial Governments, Ontario First Nation HST Point-of-Sale and Public service bodies with the CRA can be processed automatically unless they require client contact or additional review.

Electronically filed Housing and General rebate applications are manually assessed and won’t be processed until operations resume.

Q10: I filed a GST/HST Rebate. When will my rebate be processed?

A10: For those GST/HST rebates that can be filed electronically, they will be processed as long as no manual intervention is required.

Q11: Will consideration be given to late filed rebates?

A11: GST/HST rebates that are late filed may be considered for processing. They will be reviewed on a case by case basis when operations resume.