More volunteers needed in the North to help people with tax returns, says federal gov't

The federal government announced a two-year plan to helpnorthernersfile taxes and improve services for them.

The announcement came from the federal tax minister Diane Lebouthillierlast week in Yellowknife, following consultations in Whitehorse, Iqaluit and Yellowknife in2014 and 2016.

The Canada Revenue Agency's northern "action" plansaid the feedback they got from northerners willhelp make programs and services "fairer, more helpful and easier to use."

The report includes a list of 10 promises, some of which include hiring post-secondary students who speak Inuktitut, finding ways to helppeople who have unreliable phone services,and finding more volunteers in communities to help residents file their taxes.

These volunteers would become part of the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program created in 1971, which provides free tax services to individuals.

Last year, 16,500 volunteers prepared more than 765,000 income tax and benefit returns across Canada.

In the N.W.T., 24 volunteers helped 407 individuals with their tax returns, filing452 returns on their behalf this past tax season.

The volunteers are mainly based in Yellowknife, with some in Behchoko and Fort Simpson.The CRAsupports its volunteers with training, free software and laptops when available.

People don't know about service

"I don't know if our people know that this service exists" says Janice Silverio, a professional accountant volunteering with this program since 2015.

Silveriovolunteers in one of several community organizations helping taxpayers in Yellowknife.

She says they struggle to make people aware of this opportunity. They receive "very, very low" tax return requests. This year, her team helped 20 to 25people.

Silverio believes expanding the program "is a good move, especially to communities."

And people don't need to be professional accountants to be volunteers, says Silverio. The CRA provides training and webinars, and most of her volunteer work consists of calculating or computing tax returns, she says.

There are specific criteria to use the program.People are eligible if they have a modest income and a simple tax situation.

"In the N.W.T. the household income is $50,000 or less, then they qualify for the service," says Silverio.

Silverio explained that the free tax service can ease the fear for people who find tax returns "very complicated."

Silveriosays she is happy to "give back to the community" for free.

"We're not looking for any compensation... It's a good cause."

'Very good idea'

Andy Wong is a tax partner at Crowe MacKayLLP in Yellowknife, which has some staff members that volunteers with the program.

Though Wong himself isn't a volunteer, he believes this program is "a very good idea," explaining that tax professionalsare very busy in March and April and have "very low time to give away."

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