Your CRA Communications are Going Digital

The CRA has moved towards electronic delivery of its correspondence, shifting away from traditional paper mail. This means that important notices, requests for information, and time-sensitive communications – such as filing reminders, audit inquiries, and payment deadlines – will increasingly be delivered through CRA online portals, like My Business Account.

Who is affected by this change?

These changes apply to all corporations and individuals who have a business number.

Why is this shift significant for you?

Failing to regularly monitor these digital communications could lead to missed critical information, potentially resulting in:

  • Overlooked audit or review response deadlines
  • Delays in receiving refunds or benefit payments
  • Disruptions to your CRA services

It’s crucial to understand that the CRA considers online mail to be officially delivered the moment it is posted to your My Business Account, regardless of whether you have opened or viewed it.

What actions should you take?

To help ensure you don’t miss any vital CRA communications, we strongly advise you to personally:

  • Verify your access to the CRA’s My Business Account. If you need to register, please refer to our how-to guides to first register for CRA My Account and then for CRA My Business Account.
  • Update your notification preferences within your CRA account, ensuring your email address on file is current so you receive alerts when new mail arrives. We also have how-to guides to add your phone number and email address to CRA My Business Account.

While our firm serves as your authorized representative with online access, it’s important to clarify that we do not receive direct notifications when new mail is posted to your corporation’s CRA profile. Our access allows us to view certain information, but the primary responsibility for actively monitoring these direct CRA communications lies with you, the taxpayer.

We are here to support you through this transition. If you have any questions about reviewing your access settings or need guidance on the best approach to manage these new communication methods, please do not hesitate to reach out.

Can you still receive paper mail?

Yes, businesses do have the option to revert to paper mail, using one of two methods:

  • Online: Log in to your My Business Account and adjust your mail preferences in the profile section. Please see our how-to guide showing how to change your preferences to opt out of online mail.
  • By Mail: Complete form RC681 Request to Activate Paper Mail for my Business and mail it to your tax centre. Please be aware that if you are transitioned to online mail delivery on June 16, 2025, the CRA will continue to deliver mail online until your form is processed.

Once submitted, your selection to opt out of online mail expires every 2 years and needs to be re-submitted at that time.

Please note that if you opt out of online mail, and the CRA receives any returned mail from your address, your account will automatically revert to online mail.

Clients of FWH should also be sure to authorize us as a representative on their CRA My Account and their CRA My Business Account.