To reduce the administrative burden on charities, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) is modernizing its Information Technology (IT) systems to provide new digital service options.

In June 2019, the Charities Directorate will make several digital services available as part of this initiative:

• Form T2050, Application to Register a Charity under the Income Tax Act, will be replaced by a new online application for registration.
• Registered charities will be able to complete and file their T3010 Registered Charity Information Return online through CRA's My Business Account.
• Charities will be able to update their organization’s information online and correspond with the Directorate electronically through My Business Account.

The information below will help charities prepare for these services and answer any questions you may have.

• How to prepare for new digital services
• Questions and answers

How to prepare for new digital services

New digital services for charities will be available on June 1, 2019. Here are some things that you can do now to get ready for their arrival:

• Sign up for My Business Account
  

  Authorized officials will be able to access the new digital services through the CRA’s secure My Business Account portal.

  If you are an authorized official and you have already signed up for My Account for Individuals, you can access My Business Account with your personal account user name and password.

  However, if you are a new user, you can register for My Business Account by completing a few easy steps. You will have to provide some personal information to validate your own identity, so make sure you have the following information available before beginning the registration process:

  • social insurance number
  • date of birth
  • current postal code or zip code
  • business number of your charity
  • personal income tax return from this year and last year
    
• Bookmark this page and visit regularly for updates
  
  
• Subscribe to our electronic mailing list to receive updates as soon as new information is added

Questions and Answers

I represent a client/multiple clients. How do I add them in my Represent a Client Portal?
If you are an authorized representative for a charity (an accountant or lawyer, for example), you can follow these simple instructions. More information is also available on our Represent a client page.

What information will representatives have access to?
Representatives have access to view information in their clients’ account based on certain levels of authorization: Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3. You can learn more about these levels on our List of services for representatives of businesses page.

Can more than one person access our charity’s My Business Account at the same time?
Yes. Multiple individuals can be signed in to My Business Account and view your account information at the same time. However, only one user at a time will be able to perform specific tasks, like changing an address.

I complete my T3010 on paper or using third party software. Will I be able to continue doing that?
Yes, you will be able to continue to file your T3010 through your preferred method.

However, our new digital services will offer you a way to complete and file your T3010 without needing to print and mail a collection of documents. Using our secure My Business Account portal, you will be able to easily pause and resume your work on a return, have multiple individuals contribute to a return’s content, and store your completed return for reference in future years.

I am a Registered National Arts Service Organization (RNASO) – will these changes also apply to me?
Yes. RNASOs will be able to take advantage of all of the new digital services offered to registered charities, including filing Form T3010 online and using the options available in our secure My Business Account portal, such as updating your charity’s information and other tools.

I am a Registered Canadian Amateur Athletic Associations (RCAAA) – will these changes also apply to me?
RCAAAs will be able to take advantage of some of the new digital services for registered charities available in our secure My Business Account portal, such as updating your organization’s information and other tools. However, RCAAAs will continue to send Form T2052 by mail. There are no plans for online filing at this time.

If I use electronic correspondence will I also still receive letters by mail?
When you sign up for My Business Account, you can tell us how you would like to communicate with the CRA. You can choose to receive information electronically or via regular mail. You cannot receive messages through both methods.

Will correspondence I receive be stored so I can see it later?
Yes, copies of messages the CRA sends to you will be stored in your My Business Account so that you may go back and refer to them as needed.

I thought new digital services were supposed to be available on November 1^st, 2018. What changed?
We have postponed the digital services launch until June 1, 2019. This will give us additional time to complete the development and testing of the new digital services, as well as help you prepare for the upcoming changes.

Will the new digital services be accessible for those with visual or other impairments?
Yes. The digital services will meet standard Government of Canada accessibility guidelines.

What information will I be able to update online? Can I do so prior to the launch of new digital services?
Prior to the launch of new digital services, you can only manage your charity’s address online through My Business Account. After the digital services launch, you will be able to manage your address, identify authorized representatives who can speak on behalf of your organization, and request several types of post-registration amendments.

I am a head body with internal divisions. Will the internal divisions be able to access the portal?

Yes. Internal divisions will be able to access the portal under the 15 digit BN they have already been assigned. Head bodies can provide authorized representatives for their internal divisions with access to the portal by following these simple instructions. More information is also available on our Represent a client page.

References

• Message from the Director General: Budget 2014 – Investing in communities – charities
• Report on the Charities Program 2015-2016 – Charities Modernization Project (CHAMP)