It’s time to file your taxes: Billions in benefits go unclaimed every year
February 13, 2026
Olive Ogbo, Program Coordinator, and Peace Okpara, Program Director, at Case Community Services in Brampton
It’s tax season, time to file your taxes! Encouraging everyone to file their taxes is a very effective way to ensure more people can afford groceries and other basics.
That’s why we’ve created this handy infographic on the benefits of tax filing that we hope you’ll share.
Billions in benefits go unclaimed every year
Federal income supports like the Canada Child Benefit, the Canada Disability Benefit, and the just- announced Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit can provide people on low incomes with thousands of dollars a year.
Yet over $2 billion from benefits like these go unclaimed each year—largely because people haven’t been able to file their taxes.
Up to 12% of people in Canada don’t file their taxes each year, with the rate rising to 20% among people living in poverty. Why? They may have disabilities that make it difficult to file their taxes or they may not know how to file and can’t afford to hire someone. They may also be distrustful of the government or afraid of owing money or facing repercussions.
That’s where community food organizations can play an important bridging role.
Community Food Organizations help people access benefits year-round
It might surprise you to learn that almost a third of the 450+ community food organizations we work with provide some kind of free help with tax filing or tax benefits for people on low incomes. Often they have to rely on volunteers or squeeze it in around the many other programs they run.
We are thrilled that 12 community food organizations in our network received significant new funding this year to provide year-round tax filing, assistance with benefits, and one-on-one financial coaching in their communities. Congratulations ACSA Community Services, African Communities of Manitoba Inc., Carya Society of Calgary, Case Community Services, Flat Bay Band, Hope Blooms, Hope House Community Food Centre, Kenora Chiefs Advisory, The 519, West Neighbourhood House, Women’s Centre of Calgary, and YWCA Metro Vancouver!
Funding organizations with strong ties to their communities will be particularly impactful for First Nations, Inuit, and Metis, Black communities, and people living with disabilities since they disproportionately face the greatest barriers trying to file their taxes and access benefits.
“This will be very impactful for the Black communities we serve. Trust is very, very important. People avoid tax filing because they think it’s a punishment. We want to see more people getting the benefits they deserve,” says Peace Okpara, program director at Case Community Services in Brampton.
“With this funding,” adds their project coordinator, Olive Ogbo, “we will be able to file taxes year-round, offer online as well as in-person appointments, and expand our outreach to Black communities across Peel and the GTA. Everyone who comes in for tax filing will go through a questionnaire to help us identify benefits they might be eligible for. Then we’ll help them apply.”
Navigating the maze together—advocacy in action
While improving access is key, Right To Food and community food organizations in our network also advocate for new benefits and improvements to existing benefits to make them more adequate and ensure more people are eligible.
Parkdale Food Centre in Ottawa inspired us recently when community members there designed a postcard to send to their local Member of Parliament calling for improvements after learning how difficult it was to apply for the new Canada Disability Benefit.
“The postcard shows the maze it takes to get to the benefit,” explains Johnny Simonds, who has a disability and lives on a low income. He is a member of the food centre’s Advocacy in Motion (AIM) program where neighbours advocate together to reduce food insecurity.
Johnny Simonds holding the Disability Tax Credit (Canada Disability Benefit) postcard he designed with the Advocacy in Motion group at Parkdale Food Centre in Ottawa.
“
$200 is not enough. And there’s too much red tape with the application process. It was also poorly rolled out. My payment ended up in the mail when I said I wanted it direct deposited. There was a lot of confusion. And that lowers people’s confidence.
[But…] it’s rewarding to see things moving forward.
”
Johnny Simonds, on the Canada Disability Benefit
We agree, Johnny!
Parkdale Food Centre’s advocacy—and that of others like Right To Food and Disability Without Poverty—paid off.
In the last federal budget, the government announced funding to help cover the costs of getting medical forms completed and is promising a more substantive review this spring.
With the creativity and commitment of people like Johnny, working together with neighbours in their communities across the country, we’ll turn the tide on food insecurity.
New in 2026: The Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit
The federal government has announced a one-time 50 per cent increase to the GST/HST credit this summer, which it has renamed the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit. It’s another step in the right direction.
Provided the changes pass Parliament, the new benefit will also increase by 25 per cent over the next five years, beginning in July and will go to people on low incomes—if their taxes have been filed. According to the government, the benefit will provide up to $1,890 for a family of four this year, and approximately $1,400 annually over the following four years. Single individuals could receive up to $950 this year, and about $700 in subsequent years.
While the amount isn’t enough to significantly reduce growing food insecurity, particularly for those in the most northern and remote parts of the country where food prices are exorbitantly high, it is a welcome relief.
Tax updates for next year
Beginning in the 2026 tax year, the federal government will automatically file for about 1 million low-income people with simple tax situations, in an effort to ensure more people are able to access income they’re entitled to. By the 2028 tax year, they are planning to scale up those numbers to 5.5 million people.
But for now, most people will still have to file their own taxes. See if there’s a free tax clinic in your community that can help you fill out the forms! The filing deadline is April 30th for most people or June 15th if you’re self-employed.
