File Your Taxes

Boost your income by filing your taxes

If you are living with low income and have a simple tax situation, you can file your income tax for free, year-round.

Watch our video about tax filing on YouTube

 

Why is filing taxes important? Residents living with low income or no income can access benefits through tax filing. Watch a video to learn more about how filing taxes can help to boost your income.

 

Find a local clinic where your income taxes will be prepared and e-filed by a certified community volunteer.

Find a local income tax clinic

2025 Community Tax Clinic Impact

Text and icons highlighting the 2025 Community Tax Clinic Impacts

Free tax clinics help make tax filing easier for eligible residents across Durham. These clinics are made possible by dedicated volunteers through the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program (CVITP).

Whether you're interested in building new skills, sharing your experience or giving back to your community, volunteering at a tax clinic can be a rewarding way to make a meaningful impact. By supporting free community tax clinics, volunteers help more residents living with low or no income access important benefits and credits they are eligible for, which can make a big difference in their everyday lives. 

You don’t need to be a tax expert to help! The CVITP provides free training, tax software and support. Local opportunities for community tax clinic volunteers to connect, share experiences and learn from one another will also be available.

Visit the Canada Revenue Agency's website to learn more about the CVITP and how to apply for volunteer opportunities.

To learn more about local supports and opportunities for community tax clinic volunteers, contact: TaxHelp@durham.ca.   

Become a tax clinic volunteer

Income thresholds:

  • Family size - 1 person: $40,000
  • Family size - 2 people: $55,000
  • Family size - 3 people: $60,000
  • Family size - 4 people: $65,000
  • Family size - 5 people: $70,000
  • Family size - more than 5 people - $70,000, plus $5,000 for each additional person

Note: Organizations can modify the total family income based on the local economic environment, the population they serve, and their resources. Community organizations may also establish additional criteria.

When is a tax situation simple?

A tax situation is considered simple if an individual has no income or if their income comes from:

  • Employment
  • Pension
  • Benefits such as Canada Pension Plan, Disability, Canada Child Benefit, Employment Insurance or Ontario Works
  • RRSP
  • Support payments
  • Scholarships, fellowships, bursaries or grants
  • Interest (under $1,000)

When is a tax situation not simple?

A tax situation is not simple when an individual:

  • Is self-employed or has employment expenses
  • Has business or rental income and expenses
  • Has capital gains or losses
  • Files for bankruptcy
  • Is completing a tax return for a deceased person

In Ontario, there are 41 income and benefits programs that can only be accessed by filing income tax. These include benefits like:

These benefits can increase annual income and are only available if taxes are filed every year.

You must have a Social Insurance Number (SIN) in order to file your taxes. You will need a birth certificate to get a Social Insurance Number.

Do you need a birth certificate?

Birth certificates can be ordered directly from the Province of Ontario: Online Certificate Application (gov.on.ca). There is a fee for the certificate and you will need a credit card or a Visa Debit card in order to pay the fee.

Whitby, Oshawa and Clarington: Identification (ID) clinics for birth certificate applications are held from 8:30 to 11 a.m. on the last Monday of each month at John Howard Society (JHS) offices in Durham Region. Please bring a completed Birth Certificate application and proof of income to the ID clinic for help with getting a birth certificate.

Ajax and Pickering: Community Development Council Durham (CDCD) holds identification clinics every Thursday for Ajax/Pickering residents who have low income. To book an appointment for ID replacement, call 905-686-2661, ext. 147, or email outreachservices@cdcd.org.

Uxbridge, Scugog and Brock: North House offers year-round ID replacement for birth certificates and Ontario Photo Cards. For assistance with ID replacement, please contact a service navigator at 289-640-1929 or 705-432-8654, ext. 103.

Do you need a Social Insurance Number?

Once you have a birth certificate, you will be able to get a Social Insurance Number from Service Canada. It is free to get a Social Insurance Number. You can apply online: Social Insurance Number – Apply - Canada.ca or visit a Service Canada office in person.

Learn about the documents you will need to apply for a Social Insurance Number: Social Insurance Number: Required documents - Canada.ca.

If you would like to talk to someone about applying for a SIN, you can request a phone call from a Service Canada representative by completing a form: eServiceCanada - Service Request Form.

Attend a Mobile ID and Benefits Access Hub to get help with getting identification.

Learn more: Mobile Benefits Hubs - Region of Durham

Find more information about filing your own taxes independently

You can find information and resources about filing your taxes yourself from the Government of Canada, including information about ways to file your taxes and links to certified tax software online. Register for a free webinar at Upcoming events - Canada.ca.

Missed a webinar or can’t make the broadcast? Past webinar recordings are posted on Outreach materials to print and share - Canada.ca. Past webinar topics have included scam awareness, the disability tax credit, and more.

The Ontario Ministry of Finance offers webinars on a variety of tax filing topics, including the Ontario Medical Expense and Seniors Care at Home tax credits. Information about upcoming webinars can be found at Ministry of Finance Tax Talk information sessions | ontario.ca. Webinars are held several times per month.

Learn about your taxes is an online learning tool to help people understand how the Canadian tax system works. This resource seeks to demystify taxes, empowering individuals by teaching them how to do their personal taxes, and to increase awareness of available benefits and credits.

Find tax information for:

File your taxes through the Canada Revenue Agency's SimpleFile service

Watch our video about tax filing on YouTube


SimpleFile is a free service offered by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) to eligible individuals with a lower income and a simple tax situation to file personal income tax and benefit return. You may receive a SimpleFile invitation package in the mail. You can also check your CRA account in early March for an invitation.

 

Find a local income tax clinic

CADJPro Tax Clinic

157 Harwood Avenue North, Unit 224, Ajax

  • Virtual tax clinic runs year-round
  • By appointment only
  • Current and prior years, back to 2011

Complete form to make a tax filing appointment: Volunteer Clinic — CADJPro

Diverse Financial Group Tax Clinic

27-520 Westney Road South, Ajax (inside JH Party Rentals)

***We can prepare all levels of Income Tax - SW and HT friendly***

To make an appointment:

Ontario Works Locations - Year-Round

The Income and Employment Supports Division (IESD) can provide tax filing for Ontario Works (OW) recipients. Tax filing is provided through Drop-Off Tax Clinic Services only.

OW clients can contact their Case Coordinator or email the address below for more information.

Ajax Ontario Works Office

For tax filing packages and information, contact the Ajax Ontario Works office:

 

AL-IKRAM Foundation

225 King Avenue East, Newcastle

  • Clinic running ever Sunday, from March 1 to December 31, 2026
  • By appointment, virtual
  • Current and last year only
  • Serving general public/all persons
  • Languages spoken: English, Punjabi, Urdu

To make an appointment:

North House

2-B Elgin Park Drive, Uxbridge

  • Clinic running from March 1 to November 30, 2026
  • By appointment, drop-off
  • Current and prior years
  • Serving the general public / all persons meeting CVITP eligibility requirements

Please contact us to make an appointment:

Ontario Works Locations - Year-Round

The Income and Employment Supports Division (IESD) can provide tax filing for Ontario Works (OW) recipients. Tax filing is provided through Drop-Off Tax Clinic Services only.

OW clients can contact their Case Coordinator or email the address below for more information.

Uxbridge Ontario Works Office

For tax filing packages and information, contact The Uxbridge Ontario Works office:

Ontario Works Locations - Year-Round

The Income and Employment Supports Division (IESD) can provide tax filing for Ontario Works (OW) recipients. Tax filing is provided through both in-office appointments and a drop-off tax clinic service.

OW clients can contact their Case Coordinator or email the address below for more information.

Oshawa Ontario Works Office

For tax filing appointments and tax filing packages, contact Kelly Spurs:

Muhammad's Community Tax Clinic

Pickering (please contact clinic for address)

  • Clinic running on Tuesday mornings from April 7 to November 27, 2026
  • By appointment only - drop-off and virtual
  • Current and last year only

Languages spoken: English, Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu

Please email to make an appointment or call during office hours:

Ontario Works Locations - Year-Round

The Income and Employment Supports Division (IESD) can provide tax filing for Ontario Works (OW) recipients. Tax filing is provided through Drop-Off Tax Clinic Services only.

OW clients can contact their Case Coordinator or email the address below for more information.

Whitby Office

For tax filing packages and information, please email: whitbyowtaxclinic@durham.ca or call 905-666-6239 ext. 2722.

Contact Us

The Regional Municipality of Durham
605 Rossland Road East
Whitby, Ontario Canada L1N 6A3

Telephone: 311 (within region limits)
Telephone: 905-668-7711
Toll-Free: 1-800-372-1102
TTY: Use 711

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