ONE STOP SHOP FOR TAXES &

BENEFITS

E4C’s Make Tax Time Pay• What: Free income tax preparation & help applying for

government benefits & subsidies – for people living with a lower income

• Government benefit/subsidy at MTTP tax sites:– Canada Child Tax Benefit & GST Tax Credit – Seniors Benefits, RESP & RDSP info – Alberta Child & Adult Health Benefits – Childcare subsidies– City of Edmonton Leisure Access Pass

• Since 2006: Over $4 million in tax refunds (collective)

• When: Tax sites operate mainly in March & April (tax season)

• Where: Locations across Edmonton, including: libraries, churches, non-profits, colleges, family resource centres, drop-in centres, Homeless Connect & more

• Why: Without doing your income tax: access to government assistance, benefit cheques, housing & child care subsidies, extended health care, leisure centres & more stops.

E4C’s Make Tax Time Pay

• Who: – Volunteer-based, each tax site has a ‘Site

Coordinator’ – usually volunteer – Coordinated by E4C, a well established, non-

profit in Edmonton’s inner city (provides equipment, supplies, etc.)

– Program partners: • Tax site organizations • 2-1-1 Edmonton’s Support Network (referral line)• City of Edmonton

• Alberta Employment & Immigration • Community Volunteer Income Tax Program (CRA)

E4C’s Make Tax Time Pay

• History: – MTTP tax sites open in 2006 – Initiated by Vibrant Communities Edmonton – Reason: Provincial benefit had low up-take rate –

barrier to access: income taxes (expensive & inaccessible)

• Transition: – MTTP was created with intention to transition– By 2009, VCE found a community champion: E4C– MTTP apart of E4C’s Nutrition & Community

Services

E4C’s Make Tax Time Pay

• Program Statistics of service users:2007: 2011: - 16 tax sites - 27 tax sites- 111 volunteers - 242 volunteers

- 783 tax returns - Over 4,200 tax returns- $78,357 in tax refunds - Over $1.3 million in tax

refund

• Economic impact for service users: – Tax refunds– Free tax prep– Government benefit cheques & subsidies– Free access to leisure facilities (Edmonton)– Free access to extended health care for children, pregnant

women, and persons with high, ongoing health care costs (Alberta)

E4C’s Make Tax Time Pay

• Challenges:– Funding– Resources (laptops)– Training– Not side-of-desk job

• Essential:– Collaboration & common

goal– Volunteers aka: real people– Respect / No judgment– Concrete Fin Lit work– Passion– Flexibility

E4C’s Make Tax Time Pay