Usually people use the food bank in Saskatoon to pick things up. But this time of year, it’s for returns.
For more than 30 years, the Saskatoon Food Bank & Learning Centre has helped people file their taxes through its Community Volunteer Income Tax Program (CVITP).
The program is a joint initiative with the Canada Revenue Agency and it’s for people with modest incomes and simple tax solutions. More than 40 volunteers help out roughly 1,000 people each year, educating them about their finances.
"It's fantastic for the people, they get money put right back into their pockets and they're also eligible for things that they may not have known they were eligible for,” Deyne Borgia-Ellis, program coordinator, said. “Lots of people get their Canada Child Benefit, Saskatchewan Low Income Tax Credit, and then we also have people who are eligible for social services as well.”
In 2016, more than 6,300 tax returns were filed, bringing over $16 million back into the community.
The CVITP is funded by Affinity Credit Union and the Community Initiatives Fund.
The tax service is available at 919 20th Street West until May 12. The service is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and Thursday from 12:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
