Public Transit Pass Tax Credit
The non-refundable tax credit for public transit passes was available for 2006 for the portion of the pass that was used on or after July 1, 2006, even if the pass was purchased earlier. For 2006, only passes of a duration of one month or longer were eligible for the public transit tax credit.
The tax credit was revised effective January 1, 2007 to expand the eligibility criteria:
- Weekly passes will qualify for the tax credit where the taxpayer purchases them for at least 4 consecutive weeks, and the passes provide the holder with unlimited use of the public transit system for a period of 5 to 7 days.
- Electronic payment cards will qualify for the tax credit, where
- The cost relates to the use of public transit for at least 32 one-way trips during an uninterrupted period not exceeding 31 days, and
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that transit usage, and cost of those trips, are recorded and receipted to the purchaser by the relevant transit authority, in sufficient detail as to allow the Canada Revenue Agency to verify eligibility for the credit.
The public transit pass tax credit is available for the cost of passes for commuting on buses, streetcars, subways, commuter trains and local ferries. A taxpayer can claim the transit pass tax credit on behalf of a spouse or common-law partner, or the taxpayer's children under age 19.
Your pass must provide certain information in order to support your claim for a public transit tax credit, including:
- Duration of the pass
- Date or period for which the pass is valid
- Name of the transit authority or organization issuing the pass
- Amount paid for the pass
- Identity of the rider, either by name or unique identifier
If the pass does not provide all of the above information, the transit user is advised by Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) to retain a dated receipt, or cancelled cheques or credit card statements to support the tax credit claim.