May 7, 2026 Ottawa, Ontario Canada Revenue Agency
As the April 30 tax filing deadline has passed, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) is pleased to report on the 2026 tax season. During this period, more than 28.5 million tax returns were filed, 95.6% of them online. The CRA also issued over 15 million refunds, totalling more than $35 billion, with an average refund of $2,282.
This tax season, the CRA continued efforts to provide timely, accurate, and reliable service, building on changes made over the past year. Contact centres received over 6.5 million calls, or about 120,000 calls per day. Despite the high volume, they answered an average of over 75% of unique callers, reaching a peak of 83%. Service levels were regularly reported so that Canadians knew what to expect when calling, and continue to be available through the CRA's website.
The use of digital services continued to grow. Around 23 million users are currently registered for a CRA account, enabling them to track their tax return status, view notices, access live agent support, and more. Additionally, new account recovery features and existing online payment tools helped reduce the need to contact call centres and made it easier for Canadians to access services independently.
Access to tax filing support remains a priority, including online options and extra support for those who need it. More than 480,000 tax returns were filed through the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program (from January 1 - March 31, 2026), which will continue to serve communities across Canada with renewed grant funding for eligible organizations over the next three years. SimpleFile, a free CRA service that lets eligible Canadians file their taxes by phone or online through a series of quick questions, supported more than 73,000 tax returns this season, improving access for lower-income Canadians.
To access benefit and credit payments, Canadians must file a tax return each year. Filing a 2025 tax return is especially important for those eligible for the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (formerly the GST/HST credit), with up to $1,890 available for a family of four this year and up to $950 for a single individual.
Canadians who have not yet filed their 2025 tax return or paid any balance owing are encouraged to do so to avoid penalties and interest, and to prevent interruptions to benefit and credit payments. Adjustments after filing can be made through a CRA account or certified tax software once the notice of assessment is received.
Results from the 2026 tax season demonstrate the importance of fast, easy, and reliable access to services and information for Canadians. When people can file and interact with the CRA in ways that work for them, it makes a real difference in their overall experience and strengthens trust. Building on this, work will continue to improve processing times, call centre responsiveness, and digital services, with preparation underway for the next tax season, including the personal support worker benefit and expanded automatic tax filing options.
