KWB Explains: What is CRA Online Mail?
Tired of waiting for snail mail? The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) now allows you to receive some of their correspondence electronically through their My Account service.
What correspondence does this apply to?
- Notices of Assessment (issued after February 9, 2015)
- Notices of Reassessment (issued after February 9, 2015)
- Tax Free Savings Account letters (issued after February 15, 2016)
- T1 adjustment letters (issued after February 15, 2016)
Signing up for online mail does not eliminate paper correspondence completely. Any documents not noted above will still be sent to you by mail. CRA has indicated that more correspondence will be added to this service as it becomes available.
CRA will send you an email advising you that correspondence is available for viewing. You will then log into My Account to view the correspondence.
For security reasons, you can only view the correspondence once you have logged into My Account. Keep in mind that letters should not be attached to the email. If you are concerned that an email is fraudulent or a potential scam, you can find more information about CRA fraud here.
How do you register for online mail?
- First you need to register for My Account, if you haven’t done so yet, click here.
- Once logged into My Account, select the “online mail” service, or
- In the MyCRA mobile app, select “Manage online mail”, or
- Provide your email address on your T1 Personal Income Tax return.
- Contact the CRA’s Individual Income Tax and Trust Enquiries by telephone at 1-800-959-8281
Signing up for online mail is not permanent. If you change your mind, you can cancel the service by changing your settings in My Account or through the MyCRA mobile app. It can also be cancelled by calling the CRA at the number indicated above.
If you would like more information or have any questions, feel free to contact us at 780.466.6204, or click here to send us an email.
Thanks to Stephanie Kwan of KWB Chartered Accountants for providing this content.