Running a successful business in Peel or Halton means juggling a dozen priorities at once. However, missing a Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) filing or payment deadline is a mistake that will cost you heavily in compounded interest and late-filing penalties.

To help you stay compliant and stress-free this year, the team at MPCPA Professional Corporation has put together your definitive 2026 corporate tax and reporting checklist.

1. T4 and T5 Information Returns

If you paid employees a salary last year, or if your corporation paid out dividends to shareholders, you must issue the corresponding T4 or T5 slips.

• The 2026 Deadline: Usually, this is the last day of February. However, because February 28, 2026, falls on a Saturday, the CRA deadline officially shifts to the next business day: Monday, March 2, 2026.
• The Penalty: Failing to file these information returns on time can result in penalties starting at $10 to $75 per day, depending on the number of slips.

2. Corporate Income Tax (T2) Filing

Every resident corporation in Canada must file a T2 corporate income tax return every year, even if there is no tax payable.

• Filing Deadline: Your corporate return is due six months after the end of your tax year. For example, if your fiscal year ended on December 31, 2025, your T2 return must be filed by June 30, 2026.

3. Corporate Income Tax Balance Due

This is the deadline that catches many business owners off guard: your tax payment is due much earlier than your tax return.

• Payment Deadline: For most Canadian-Controlled Private Corporations (CCPCs) claiming the small business deduction, your tax balance is due three months after your fiscal year-end. For all other corporations, it is due two months after year-end.
• Example: With a December 31 year-end, your tax bill must be paid by March 31, 2026, even though the paperwork isn’t due until June.

4. GST/HST Returns and Remittances

Your GST/HST deadlines depend entirely on your assigned reporting period.

• Monthly Filers: Returns and payments are due one month after the end of the reporting period.
• Quarterly Filers: Returns and payments are due one month after the end of the fiscal quarter.
• Annual Filers: For most annual filers with a December 31 year-end, the GST/HST payment is due April 30, 2026, but the actual return does not need to be filed until June 15, 2026.

5. Corporate Tax Instalments

If your corporation’s total tax payable was over $3,000 in the previous year, the CRA requires you to pay your taxes in instalments for the current year, rather than a single lump sum.

• The Deadlines: Instalments are typically due on the last day of every month or quarter, depending on your eligibility. Missing these payments will trigger immediate instalment interest charges from the CRA.

Don’t Let Deadlines Disrupt Your Business

Tracking these dates manually leaves too much room for error. At MPCPA Professional Corporation, we manage the entire compliance calendar for our clients, ensuring everything is filed accurately and on time so you can focus on growing your operations.

Call us at (905) 246 – 1267.