ONTARIO SENIORS PUBLIC TRANSIT CREDIT
What is the Seniors Public Transit Credit?
This refundable tax credit reimburses seniors for 15% of their public transit costs.
Who qualifies?
Eligibility requires being 65 years or older for the entire tax year and residing Ontario on December 31 of that year.
How much is the credit?
The credit equals 15% of eligible transit expenses, up to a maximum of $3,000 in expenses. The maximum credit available is $450 ($3,000 × 15%). There is no clawback for higher income seniors.
Private-sector services such as Via Rail and Greyhound are not eligible. In addition, a senior may only claim their own expenses, not those of a spouse. Receipts or supporting records must be retained.
How is it claimed?
In UFile, expenses are entered under Other deductions and credits > Other credits. UFile will show the benefit calculation in Form ON479.
What records are required?
Ontario’s website states:
Save your receipt and proof of payment to submit your claim.
Electronic payment cards (e.g. PRESTO). You don't need a receipt if your electronic payment card provides a usage report and shows your name. If the card doesn't provide a personalized usage report, you will need a receipt as proof of payment.
If you need to provide a receipt and it doesn't show your name, you'll need to provide your receipt plus a credit card or bank statement that shows proof of payment.
For WheelTrans:
Cash fare for specialized transit services (to support people with disabilities). You will need a receipt as proof of payment. If you paid with cash, you will need to keep a record that you booked rides on that service and proof of use, such as dated transfers.
Shoppers Drug Mart Receipts:
Many seniors load their Presto cards at Shoppers Drug Mart. These receipts do not display customer names. If the CRA requests proof of payment, both the Shoppers Drug Mart receipts and bank or credit card statements would need to be submitted. Obtaining statements can be difficult or, in some cases, nearly impossible for some seniors. Where a Presto card is loaded using cash, no bank statement would be available to support the payment.
Transit Usage Report:
At a tax clinic, registering a client for a Presto account in order to immediately access a Transit Usage Report may be possible under certain conditions. Presto’s website includes the following FAQ:
If I don’t have a Presto account, can I still get a Transit Usage Report? Yes, for a physical Presto card you can. However, you must create a presto account and register your presto card … to retrieve your Transit Usage Report/Transaction History. Only the previous year and future years will be available.
Getting a Transit Usage Report at the tax clinic:
References: