This free income tax clinic for low-income earners in Thunder Bay, Ont., is seeing more calls than ever

Marie Klassen says her team at the Lakehead Social Planning Council (LSPC) is receiving an unprecedented number of calls from people looking to file their income taxes.

The Thunder Bay, Ont., organization has run a volunteer income tax clinic for many years, aimed at helping low-income earners in the district complete their forms for the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).

While the clinic operates year-round, it's busiest between late February and mid-May.

"The surge of calls is something we've never experienced before," said Klassen, executive director of the LSPC. "I would say maybe 50 per cent more than last year."

The clinic helps prepare nearly 10,000 tax returns in the Thunder Bay district each year. Eligibility is based on a person's annual income and the size of their household; for example, a single person who earns $35,000 or less qualifies, as do two people in a household that earn $45,000 or less.

With the rising cost of living, Klassen said the high volume of calls may be related to people's reliance on income tax benefits.

"Whether [it's] GST cheques, the Ontario Trillium Benefit, they're certainly waiting for the Canada child benefit cheque — and all of that makes a difference in their lives," she said. "The sooner they're able to get it, the better it is."

Information gathered through the tax clinic helps LSPC with its broader anti-poverty advocacy, particularly when it comes to determining the type of support needed for low-income earners in the community.

Preventing people from 'falling through the cracks'

More than 257,600 people in Ontario were helped by free tax clinics last year through the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program, according to the CRA.

There are three main ways people can file their income taxes through the LSPC clinic, according to Klassen:

1. Completing the process over the phone by calling 211 and pressing "three."
2. Attending the clinic's walk-in Wednesdays from 9:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.
3. Booking an appointment in advance.

Those filing multiple years of taxes are encouraged to book an appointment, as these sessions tend to take longer, she added.

People can also have their case workers submit information and paperwork on their behalf.

The clinic team is managing the high volume of calls the best it can, said Klassen, but she encourages people to "be patient."

"We will get back to you — make sure that you do get a hold of us in some way," Klassen said. "If it's not today, it might be tomorrow."

The clinic is seeking more volunteers to help manage the workload, including making callbacks and helping with intake.

A key priority for the team is making sure people know what kind of benefits they may qualify for, said Klassen.

"A lot of seniors are coming to us that are on fixed incomes and we're paying special attention to that population, mainly because in the past, we've noticed that some seniors are just unaware of some of the benefits that they're entitled to," Klassen said.

"We want to make sure that they're not falling through the cracks," she said.

The CRA's deadline for most people to file their tax return and pay any amounts owing is April 30, in order to secure this year's benefits. 

More details—including what to bring to the clinic, such as proof of identity, income, and deduction slips—can be found on the LSPC's website.