Bilbx Learn • Canada
What your receipts are worth in Canada
Straight answers on CRA record keeping, GST/HST receipts and your rights when goods fail — the rules as the CRA and the provinces publish them, with every source linked.
CRA & tax records
The 6-year retention rule, what a receipt needs for a GST/HST input tax credit, and what the CRA expects behind every expense you claim.
Canadian tax year dates and deadlines for the self-employed
The tax year is the calendar year. When to file (30 April or 15 June), when to pay, instalment dates, and the GST/HST return for sole proprietors.
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Does the CRA accept photos of receipts?
Yes, if the image is a complete, readable copy made to the national standard. What the CRA says about scanning, discarding paper and keeping it in Canada.
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GST/HST receipts in Canada: what a receipt needs for an input tax credit
What a receipt must show under $100, from $100 and from $500, which province charges what, and why PST on a receipt is not a credit.
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How long do you need to keep receipts for the CRA?
Six years from the end of the last tax year they relate to. When the clock starts, when it runs longer, and why your records have to be kept in Canada.
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Can employees claim work expenses in Canada?
Some, if your employer requires you to pay them and signs Form T2200. What you can claim on Form T777, and the receipts the CRA expects you to keep.
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Can you claim business expenses without receipts in Canada?
The CRA can deny what you can't support, and there is no small-expense exemption. What other evidence helps when a receipt is lost, and how to avoid needing it.
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Foreign currency receipts: which exchange rate the CRA accepts
Convert to Canadian dollars at the Bank of Canada rate for the day the expense arose. When the CRA accepts another rate or an average, and what to keep.
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Rental property records in Canada: what the CRA expects landlords to keep
Rental income and expenses go on Form T776. Current versus capital expenses, why CCA can't create a rental loss, and the receipts to keep for how long.
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Selling online in Canada: what platforms now report to the CRA
Since 2024 digital platforms report sellers to the CRA each January. Who is excluded, what it means for your taxes, and the records that back up your expenses.
ReadReturns, warranties & your rights
What stores must and needn't take back, and what provincial law — Ontario's and Quebec's especially — gives you when goods fail.
Can you return items without a receipt in Canada?
Stores don't have to accept returns of goods that aren't faulty, so the receipt usually decides it. What the law covers, and what to try without one.
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How long does a warranty last in Canada?
The written warranty is only part of it. Provincial law expects goods to work and last a reasonable time: how that works in Ontario and Quebec.
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What counts as proof of purchase in Canada?
A receipt is best, but not the only proof. What stores, manufacturers and the CRA each accept for a return, a warranty claim or a tax deduction.
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Returning holiday gifts in Canada: gift receipts, store policies and gift cards
Stores don't have to take back gifts that aren't faulty, so the gift receipt and the store's policy decide. What to check, and Ontario's rules on gift cards.
ReadManaging receipts
Practical ways to keep self-employed, employee and landlord records organized through the year.
How to automatically forward email receipts (Gmail, Outlook, iCloud)
Set up Gmail, Outlook or iCloud Mail to forward receipts and invoices on their own, so every emailed receipt is kept for the CRA.
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How to track renovation costs in Canada, and when the receipts matter
Your own home's renovation receipts rarely matter for tax, with three exceptions: accessibility work, a unit for family, and property you rent or sell.
ReadThese guides are general information, not tax or legal advice. How we research and review them.