Lines 468 and 469 - Eligible educator school supply tax credit

For 2016 and subsequent tax years, if you were an eligible educator you can claim up to $1,000 of eligible teaching supplies expenses.

On this page

• Are you an eligible educator?
• What are eligible supplies expenses for teaching supplies?
• Completing your tax return

Are you an eligible educator?

You are considered an eligible educator if you were employed in Canada at any time during the 2016 tax year as:

• a teacher at an elementary or secondary school, or an early childhood educator at a regulated child care facility; and
• you held a teaching certificate, license, permit or diploma, or a certificate or diploma in early childhood education, which was valid and recognized in the province or territory in which you were employed.

What are eligible supplies expenses for teaching supplies?

An eligible supplies expense is an amount that you paid in 2016 for teaching supplies that meet all of the following conditions:

• you bought the teaching supplies for teaching or facilitating students’ learning;
• the teaching supplies were directly consumed or used in an elementary or secondary school or in a regulated child care facility in the performance of your employment;
• you were not entitled to a reimbursement, allowance, or any other form of assistance for the expense (unless the amount is included in the calculation of your income from any tax year and is not deductible in the calculation of your taxable income); and
• the eligible supplies expense was not deducted from any person’s income for any year or included in calculating a deduction from any person’s tax payable for any year.

Teaching supplies are consumable supplies and prescribed durable goods.
Prescribed durable goods are:

• books, games and puzzles;
• containers (such as plastic boxes or banker boxes); and
• educational support software.

Completing your tax return

Enter, on line 468 (to the left of line 469), the total of the expenses for the eligible educator school supply tax credit. The refundable portion is 15% of the total eligible fees. Enter the result of the calculation on line 469.

Supporting documents

Do not send any supporting documents when you file your tax return. Keep them in case we ask to see them later.

We may also ask you later to provide a written certificate from your employer or a delegated official of the employer (such as the principal of the school or the manager of the child care facility) attesting to your eligible supplies expense for the year.

Forms and publications

General income tax and benefit package - Guide, return and schedules

Date modified:

2017-01-04