Real Change: A New Plan For a Strong Middle Class (page 33)

"The focus on improved client service will allow the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) to proactively contact individuals who are entitled to, but are not receiving, tax benefits.

In particular this initiative will help lower-income earners complete and file their tax returns. These actions will benefit lower-income earners including seniors, Indigenous people, and people with disabilities. The Canadian personal income tax system provides many credits specifically designed to benefit lower-income Canadians (e.g., the Goods and Services Tax/Harmonized Sales Tax Credit).

However, each year a number of these taxpayers do not file a tax return, causing them to miss out on potential tax benefits. Under this proposal, the CRA would send out letters to individuals who have not filed a tax return, informing them that they are potentially entitled to benefits. This initiative, which will have an ongoing cost of about $1.8 million per year beginning in 2016–17, will help these taxpayers receive the tax benefits they are entitled to." ("Growing The Middle Class" Budget 2016-2017)