But now the Calgary resident estimates that she will have to collect these charges on her credit card. This is due to the fact that her return is pending due to a tax deduction she claimed, which, as it turns out, has not yet been approved. “It makes me angry and frustrated,” said Hansen, who has a genetic condition that affects her mobility. “Because it is [the credit] “Is there anything I can claim if I can not claim it?” he said. “There was no warning.” The Canada Revenue Service (CRA) is suspending tax returns for about 50,000 teachers, the agency confirmed to CBC News – all because of a tax deduction they demanded for school supplies they bought for their students. In what is known as the Eligible Educator School Supply Tax Credit, the federal government has increased the maximum amount teachers can claim from $ 150 to $ 250. The problem is that the increase is included in new legislation (Bill C-8) that has not yet been voted in Parliament. Until the bill becomes law, any teacher who has applied for credit will not receive his or her tax return. “It’s not just tax credit, but the whole process of any other refund that has now been delayed because their refunds are being set aside. And that’s not right,” said Sam Hammond, president of the Canadian Teachers Association. “Some of them need that money.” Edmonton-based Chelsea Turcotte elementary school teacher hoped to use part of the expected $ 4,061 tax refund to pay for a recent sharp increase in her utility bill – until she learned that her refund was pending. (Chelsea Turcotte)
Edmonton-based Chelsea Turcotte elementary school teacher hoped to use part of the expected $ 4,061 tax refund to cover a sharp increase in her utility expenses. But when she learned that her return was deadlocked, she had to make other plans. “I had to ask my mom for a loan,” Turcotte said, almost in tears. “It just breaks my heart that I have to go to this step, but it’s there right now.”

The teachers did not get the message

Tax expert Armando Minicucci said teachers could have avoided the delay by filing their taxes without claiming credit right now. “You have up to ten years to modify your tax return, so there is plenty of time,” Minicucci told Grant Thornton in Toronto. But this plan only works if you know about the problem in advance. CBC News interviewed five teachers who each filed their own taxes in February or March and said they had no idea at the time that there was a problem with credit for school supplies. “If we had been told there was going to be a delay, I would not have been interested in applying,” said Hansen, whose credit claim totaled just $ 68. The CRA told CBC News that since February 18, when it became clear that the legislation would not be passed in time for the start of the tax filing period, it has sent alerts to tax technicians and software developers, and posted messages for tax experts on the internet. The CRA made no reference to the taxpayers’ notice. CBC News found an ad posted on a government website describing the credit. However, according to one search files on the internetThe message was added sometime on or after April 9th.

“A rather big deal that causes some stress”

Hansen said she only found out about the issue after calling the CRA a few weeks ago to find out the status of her refund. Elementary school teacher Kathryn Olson from Winnipeg said she found out why the expected $ 1,087 tax refund was delayed thanks to a social media post by another teacher. “I really, really wanted to know that this was going to be a problem,” said Olson, a freshman who still pays his student debts. “It’s really difficult as someone who is just starting out as a financially independent person. For example, $ 1,000… is a pretty big deal that causes some stress.”

“Unfortunately there is nothing they can do right now”

Minicucci said teachers who have already filed can not resubmit their application until they have received their tax audit from the CRA. “Unfortunately there is nothing they can do at this point other than the hope that the legislation will receive royal consent at some point soon.” The C-8 bill was tabled in Parliament in mid-December and has not yet passed its third reading in the House of Commons. If and when it happens, it must go to the Senate. The office of National Revenue Minister Diane Lebouthillier said the official opposition was responsible for the suspension. “Conservative members of parliament are playing political games with this bill to delay the passage of the law,” spokesman Chris McMillan told CBC News in an email. Sam Hammond, president of the Canadian Teachers Association, says withholding teacher returns is unfair, as some of them need the money now. (Michael Wilson / CBC)
Conservatives dispute the claim. “The Conservatives oppose the Bill C-8 because it implements part of the Trudeau’s 2021 government budget, which included excessive borrowing and spending,” economist Ed Fast said in an email. “This is not a political game; it is the official opposition that does its job of reviewing the law and it is up to the government to decide when it wants to pass the law.” Instead of pointing the finger, teachers hope that both parties can work together to find a solution so that they can quickly receive their refunds. “I just want them to do their job,” Hansen said. “I went to work every day. I did my job, so I would like to get my money.”