staycation tax credit

[lorneb]

for the 2022 tax year, Ontario allows a tax credit for Staycations (vacations). Ufile requires an HST number, maximum 15 characters. The facility that I stayed at has the number 100860477. Ufile rejects this as an invalid format, although the facility confirms this is their hst number. Even if I try the format 100860477rt0001, the program still rejects the number as invalid format. Interesting enough, it will complete the calculations of taxes owed or credited, but because it is a 'red' error, you cannot file online with this error. Is this a programming error?

[Geo123]

Hello lorneb,

Please contact UFile Support so we may review the file confidentially.
For telephone support, please call: 514-733-8414 or 1-888-633-8414
An agent can review the issue with you.
If you prefer, you can also open a request ticket on-line https://www.ufile.ca/contact/contact-us

[Andrea Q.]

Hello,

I don't see the place where to enter the Ontario staycation tax credit information. Is there a specific page that I need to add?

Thank you,

Andrea

[Maggie3]

Hello Andrea Q.

Province of Ontario – Ontario Staycation Tax Credit

Ontario residents can claim 20% of their eligible 2022 accommodation expenses, for example, for a stay at a hotel, cottage or campground, when filing their personal Income Tax and Benefit Return for 2022. You can claim eligible expenses of up to $1,000 as an individual or $2,000 if you have a spouse, common-law partner or eligible children, to get back up to $200 as an individual or $400

·         You are eligible to claim the credit if you are an Ontario resident on December 31, 2022.

·         Only one individual per family can claim the credit for the year. Your claim can include the eligible expenses of your spouse or common-law partner and your eligible children.

·         An eligible child is not entitled to claim the credit.

·         If you do not have a spouse or common-law partner, or eligible child, you can claim your own eligible expenses for the credit.

For more information on this topic please click on this link:

https://www.ontario.ca/page/ontario-staycation-tax-credit

To claim this credit, please follow the steps below:

1.In the left side column of the “Interview” section, click on the page “Interview setup”.

2.On the “Interview setup” page, scroll down to the section on “Other topics” .

3.In the “Other topics” section, place a check mark next to “Other deductions and credits (including school supply and home buyers’ amount)”

4.Then, click on the little blue circle with the white arrow (which jumps directly to the “Other deductions and credits” page).

5.Or you can click “Next” at the bottom of the page and then return to the left side column to click on the “Other deductions and credits” page.

6.On the “Other deductions and credits” page select ON479 line 63052 -Ontario staycation tax credit by clicking on the little plus sign beside the title.

7.Complete the page according to your information. (Note: the HST number of the facility can be located on your invoice)

The refundable credit will appear on your Federal tax return line 47900.

[Cynthia W]

Hi, I booked my stays via Expedia or Airbnb. There are no HST numbers shown on the receipts they provided. I called them but the agents said they don’t know anything about HST number. Could I skip this HST number field or leave it as 00000000 in Ufile? Is there a way to claim Staycation without HST number? Thanks. 

[Geo123]

Hello Cynthia W,

The HST number is a required field for the Ontario Staycation credit as per the CRA.  You can not enter a dummy number and must include a valid GST/HST number.

The accommodation expenses must have been paid by you, your spouse or common-law partner, or your eligible child, as set out on a detailed receipt provided by a supplier registered for the Goods and Services Tax (GST)/Harmonized Sales Tax (HST).

https://www.ontario.ca/page/ontario-staycation-tax-credit#section-4

[keith B]

I appreciate what has been offered as advice, however we rented a cottage from a small operator who is not registered for HST, likely due to the fact they do not hit the minimum income limit for charging HST. Without a number, how can one make the claim? Surely there must be provision for this due to many small operators out there!

[Geo123]

Hello keith B,

You should contact the CRA as they establish the rules :

Contact the Canada Revenue Agency

If you have questions about the tax credit, please contact the Canada Revenue Agency

    phone, at 1-800-959-8281

[PowerSurge]

On 12/23/2022 at 4:49 PM, lorneb said:

for the 2022 tax year, Ontario allows a tax credit for Staycations (vacations). Ufile requires an HST number, maximum 15 characters. The facility that I stayed at has the number 100860477. Ufile rejects this as an invalid format, although the facility confirms this is their hst number. Even if I try the format 100860477rt0001, the program still rejects the number as invalid format. Interesting enough, it will complete the calculations of taxes owed or credited, but because it is a 'red' error, you cannot file online with this error. Is this a programming error?

I have the very same issue.  I have 2 stays at different Hotels, got both HST numbers, however when entering in the HST box for staycation, says number is invalid.  Help!

[Geo123]

Hello PowerSurge,

Note: The HST number must be in the format accepted by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) example: 123456789RT0001

[PowerSurge]

I added a "ZERO" to the number at the front as it was short one, and it worked (with the RT0001) at the end. Thanks!

 

[Tatiana_kl]

On 1/29/2023 at 9:05 AM, Cynthia W said:

Hi, I booked my stays via Expedia or Airbnb. There are no HST numbers shown on the receipts they provided. I called them but the agents said they don’t know anything about HST number. Could I skip this HST number field or leave it as 00000000 in Ufile? Is there a way to claim Staycation without HST number? Thanks. 

The HST number for Airbnb is available online from the government of canada at: https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/businesses/topics/gst-hst-businesses/digital-economy-gsthst/confirming-simplified-gst-hst-account-number.html

Using that link I found: 723689006RT0001 - Airbnb Ireland UC

To confirm that Airbnb Ireland UC is the correct Airbnb subsidiary for Airbnb Canada I referred to this webpage: https://www.airbnb.ca/help/article/2860

This approach might also work for Expedia, but I did not check. 

[jp1]

use capital R, capital T, instead of rt

[Ritaa]

1 hour ago, jp1 said:

use capital R, capital T, instead of rt

Thank you jp1!  This was it 

[David Vincent]

I rented a cottage last July and unfortunately we had an awful stay based on the cottage owner doing major renovations to the property while we attended. This led to arguments and we completed our stay and broke ties. I have tried to contact him multiple times but he avoids my texts and calls and won't supply me with a GST/HST number for the staycation tax credit. Is there anything on a legal ground i can do about this?

 

[Geo123]

Hello David Vincent,

NOTE : this requirement  will be removed by the CRA.  The current release of the software should only give a warning that this field is missing (not an error)

Note: the HST number of the facility can be located on your invoice. The HST number must be in the format accepted by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) example: 123456789RT0001.

 

[David Vincent]

On 3/27/2023 at 5:17 PM, Geo123 said:

Hello David Vincent,

NOTE : this requirement  will be removed by the CRA.  The current release of the software should only give a warning that this field is missing (not an error)

Note: the HST number of the facility can be located on your invoice. The HST number must be in the format accepted by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) example: 123456789RT0001.

 

Unfortunately , that didn’t answer my question . There is no hst number on the invoice . He won’t respond and I am lost at what to do . Should I be calling CRA to report this cottage owner ? 

[Geo123]

Hello David Vincent,

Try filing without the HST number.

[The Condor]

Almost forgot to claim it, there was no uFile reminder to Ontario residents that did Ontario Staycations.  The rental agency HST number was on the invoice and all went in correctly.

[The Condor]

On 2/2/2023 at 7:16 PM, keith B said:

I appreciate what has been offered as advice, however we rented a cottage from a small operator who is not registered for HST, likely due to the fact they do not hit the minimum income limit for charging HST. Without a number, how can one make the claim? Surely there must be provision for this due to many small operators out there!

The small owner was not paying the government any HST, so why should the government refund HST or supplement back to you?  If they had an HST number they would charge you somewhat more on the invoice and you would get a refund.

[BC Camper]

On 3/30/2023 at 4:00 PM, The Condor said:

The small owner was not paying the government any HST, so why should the government refund HST or supplement back to you?  If they had an HST number they would charge you somewhat more on the invoice and you would get a refund.

That is exactly correct - you would not get a refund if there was no GST/HST charged!

[jtmurray22]

I am trying to input the HST number from Ontario Parks (!!) into UFile, but it keeps giving me the format error as well.  Anyone else have a different HST number for Ontario Parks (campground) reservations?

The one they gave me is HST (Reg R124668666), which does not follow the required format.

[Geo123]

Hello 

The HST number must be in the format accepted by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) example: 123456789RT0001. 
NOTE : this requirement  is now removed by the CRA.