The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) says it’s making changes that could impact some tax filers who want to continue using physical documents and forms as the agency looks to shift towards a fully digital service model.
The agency says it will no longer automatically mail physical income tax packages to individuals, and when they do, some forms will not be included unless requested.
Call centre workers may be busy in the months ahead assisting Canadians with their tax filing questions and potential problems — especially now that paper filings may be slowly phased out.
This announcement comes one day after the agency announced it’s hiring more call centre workers as tax filing season draws near.
“If you choose to file on paper, there are important changes to be aware of this tax-filing season,” the CRA said in a press release.
Finance and National Revenue Minister François-Philippe Champagne, in September, gave the CRA 100 days to fix what he called “unacceptable” service delays and access challenges.
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Ninety-three per cent of 2024 tax year filings submitted in 2025 were done digitally, according to the CRA, which adds that submitting this way offers “many benefits,” including faster refunds and more convenience.
Canadians who still want to file their taxes using paper forms and documents by mailing everything to the CRA during tax-filing season can still do so, but these new changes will mean having to take some extra steps to get what’s needed.
This decision was made to support the agency’s “continued shift to digital services,” the CRA said.
As of Jan. 20, 2026, Canadians who want to receive paper income tax packages must request them from CRA by visiting their website, finding the necessary forms, and then ordering, viewing, downloading and printing the packages at home.
Another option they have is to call the CRA, with their Social Insurance Number (SIN) handy, to request separate arrangements.
Some pages or forms Canadians are used to receiving in these tax packages are also no longer included unless requested or downloaded separately.
The CRA says it determined some of the federal schedules should be removed from paper tax packages because they weren’t being used as much as others, especially by those Canadians who prefer paper documents.
A federal schedule may include numbered forms for types of income, deductions and credits claimed in an income tax and benefit return.
Some of the 10 different schedules the CRA says it’s removing from the paper packages include Schedule 3 for claiming capital gains or losses, Schedule 6 for Canada Workers Benefit, Schedule 9 for donations and gifts and Schedule 12 for the Multigenerational Home Renovation Tax Credit.
“Careful analysis was completed in order to remove schedules that would minimize impact on individuals that still choose to file on paper,” said the CRA in the release.
The agency adds that if a filer using paper and mail options needs a schedule form which may have been removed, they can get those forms by downloading and printing each form at home, or by calling the CRA directly.
In the release, the CRA also encourages Canadians to make use of certified tax software programs that it says will “make filing easier.”
The CRA also says using digital options like these means filers can also make use of the Auto-fill service, which it says fills in parts of a tax return based on information it keeps on file.
It also recommends signing up for direct deposit to make and receive applicable payments faster and easier.
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