As CanadaHelps brought to light during the 2024 giving season, the postal strike had a profoundly negative impact on Canadian charities, disrupting mail-based fundraising for organizations across the country — at a pivotal time where they would typically raise up to 30 per cent of their annual revenues. To mitigate the impact that the strike had on the flow of donations to charities during the critical holiday period, the Government of Canada announced their intention to amend the Income Tax Act to extend the 2024 charitable donation deadline to February 28, 2025.

Following that, on January 23, 2025, the Department of Finance released draft income tax legislation in support of the donation extension, with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) confirming it will administer the proposed legislation.

What This Means for Canadians

For any eligible donations made between January 1, 2025 and February 28, 2025 (see donation eligibility details below), donors will have the option of claiming the eligible amount of the gift on their 2024 income tax return. If the donation is not claimed on the 2024 return, it may still be claimed on the 2025 return – or carried forward to a later year (under the five-year carry-forward rule). Calculate your charitable tax credit eligibility with our charitable tax calculator.

Gift Types that Qualify for the Donation Extension

The draft legislation confirms that the charitable donation extension applies to donations made by both individuals (including trusts and estates) and corporations before March 2025. However, the extension applies only to gifts made in the form of cash or cheque, credit card, money order or electronic payment. This includes single or monthly online donations made via CanadaHelps.org.

Gift Types that do not Qualify for the Donation Extension

Gifts in kind (such as gifts of securities, like stocks or mutual funds), gifts made through payroll deduction, and/or gifts made by the will or an individual who passed away after 2024 do not qualify for the extension. For additional information, please refer to the CRA’s guidance “Extension of the deadline for making 2024 charitable donations.”

CanadaHelps is a Charity that Supports All Canadian Charities

As Canada’s largest online donation and fundraising platform, we are calling on Canadians who are in a position to give to take advantage of the extended 2024 charitable donation deadline and support their favourite charities or causes. One-time or monthly donations to registered Canadian charities can be made quickly and easily online at CanadaHelps.org. Plus, keep track of all your charitable tax receipts in one place with a free CanadaHelps account.