ALBERTA TAX DEADLINES & CRA GUIDE
A practical reference for individuals and business owners in Beaumont, Millet, Leduc, and the Edmonton area. These are the dates and thresholds that decide whether your return is filed on time, whether you owe a penalty, and whether your business is collecting and remitting the tax it should be.
Personal tax return (T1)
The filing deadline for most individuals in Alberta, and the day any balance owing is due. Filing late triggers a 5% late-filing penalty plus interest from the CRA, so it is worth filing on time even if you cannot pay in full.
Self-employed filing
If you or your spouse report self-employment income, the T1 filing deadline extends to June 15. The payment deadline does not move: any balance owing is still due April 30.
Corporate tax return (T2)
A Canadian-controlled private corporation must file its T2 within six months of its fiscal year-end. Corporate tax owing is generally due two or three months after year-end, depending on the corporation.
GST/HST returns
Alberta has no provincial sales tax, but GST still applies at 5%. Once registered, GST returns are filed annually, quarterly, or monthly depending on your revenue, with input tax credits recoverable on business purchases.
Instalments
If your net tax owing exceeds $3,000 in the current and either of the two prior years, the CRA expects quarterly instalments on March 15, June 15, September 15, and December 15.
The GST registration threshold in Alberta
You must register for GST once your worldwide taxable supplies exceed $30,000 in a single calendar quarter, or over four consecutive calendar quarters combined. Below that threshold registration is optional, but many small businesses register voluntarily to recover input tax credits on purchases. Once registered, you charge 5% GST on taxable supplies and remit the difference between what you collect and what you paid.
What to do when the CRA comes calling
A review or audit notice is not a reason to panic, but it is a reason to stop corresponding with the CRA on your own. A CPA, CA can request the scope of the review in writing, organize the supporting documents the CRA asks for, and respond on your behalf. Where a return was filed incorrectly, a voluntary disclosure may eliminate penalties; where penalties were assessed, a taxpayer relief request can reduce or cancel them. Having professional representation from the first letter usually shortens the process and keeps the discussion factual.
Keeping records that hold up
The CRA generally expects records to be kept for six years from the end of the last tax year they relate to. For a business that means sales invoices, purchase receipts, bank and credit card statements, payroll records, and contracts. Clean, reconciled bookkeeping is the single cheapest form of audit insurance: a return supported by organized records takes hours to defend, while one supported by a shoebox of receipts can take months.
Deadlines and thresholds change, and this guide is general information rather than tax advice for your situation.
ASK A CPA ABOUT YOUR RETURN