Regina accountant calls on CRA to create policy for homeless people

The last time Kyara Moone and her accounting team volunteered at Carmichael Outreach in Regina they did 75 tax returns in six hours. Now, a few months later her team is back and there is still a long list of people anxious for help with the complicated process of filing taxes. 

"A lot of the people we've been working with here don't have permanent addresses. They are transient. Their mail doesn't necessarily catch up with them," Moone said. "They've had no source of income, not even through social services so there are no T-slips."

Filing taxes can help people find housing, assistance

Taxes may not be high on the priority list for people who are just struggling to find a safe place to live. However, Moone explained not having up-to-date taxes is preventing many people from accessing government programs. 

"In some cases they are getting their child tax credit that they haven't gotten. Or tax returns, we actually helped people get some money from years when they did work. For other people it's the difference between having a place to live if you can't get on the list for Regina housing or that type of thing without the tax return."

Bob Bezjack came into Carmichael to use the phone and ended up getting help with his taxes. 

He said he isn't able to do his own taxes because he can't read and write. In the past, he's received help from the staff at Money Mart. 

"The biggest reason I've went to Money Mart is if you have a refund coming they pay you the same day. It's expensive though."

"The biggest reason I've went to Money Mart is if you have a refund coming they pay you the same day." - Bob Bezjack

Bezjack broke his wrist and has been unable to work, however, he hasn't been able to apply for assistance because they require up to date taxes. 

Other people like Raymond Pewean are homeless and fall between the cracks. Pewean said he spends most nights sleeping at the detox centre down the street from Carmichael, but he would like to be able to afford to rent an apartment. 

Right now Pewean said he is living off twenty dollars a month and relies on Carmichael for food. He hopes he might be able to apply for assistance or at the very least get some money back from all of the years he paid taxes while he worked.

"I worked since I was 14," the 61-year-old said, "about 12 years ago I had a couple of heart attacks and they told me to quit working. I never got nothing back."

CRA needs policy for dealing with the homeless: accountant

Moone said it's challenging trying to get help for people who haven't had an address in six or seven years or who have never filed a tax return. She said it's been frustrating for her volunteers because, according to her, their success depends completely on the whim of whomever answers the phone at Canada Revenue Agency.

Moone said some of the workers at CRA have become frustrated and hung up on her while others have gone the extra mile, asking question after question to be able to get enough information to help.

They (Canada Revenue Agency) need to develop a policy that will help them deal with some of the red tape that goes along with trying to get these taxes filed.- Kyara Moone, Over the Moon Accounting 

"I would like CRA to develop a policy specifically for people who are transient because child tax credit and GST are dependant on filing your tax return and because homelessness is such a huge issue," Moone said. 

"They need to develop a policy that will help them deal with some of the red tape that goes along with trying to get these taxes filed."

Moone said the back and forth with Canada Revenue Agency lasts months, "Our last clinic was in June and we still don't have the taxes done." 

The team from Over the Moon accounting plan on returning to Carmichael for one more tax clinic in May.