Your CRA drop box closing affects your farm and family
Good morning from the Valley — the fields are talking, the rivers are moving, and we've got stories from five communities that matter.
You've probably heard that Canada Revenue Agency is shutting down all its drop box filing systems after tax season ends in 2026. Out here in the Valley, that's not just a minor inconvenience, it's a real headache for a lot of our folks. Think about our seniors, our Punjabi-speaking farmers, or families who don't have reliable internet access in some of the more rural pockets of Abbotsford, Sumas Prairie, or up towards Yarrow. For many, dropping off tax documents at the post office, or even a CRA office in person, has been the dependable way to file. This change means more reliance on online services, which for some, is a barrier. It's easy for Ottawa to make these decisions, but they don't always see how it impacts a family farm running on tight margins, with elders who prefer to do things the way they've always done them.
This isn't just about 'digital modernization' – it's about accessibility. Our berry farmers, the greenhouse growers, the dairy operations, they're busy from *savere* to *shaam*. Taking time off to drive to a tax preparer, or learning a whole new online system, especially if English isn't their first language, adds unnecessary stress. We need to make sure the CRA offers clear, in-person support options right here in Abbotsford, maybe even mobile clinics. Because if we don't, some of our most vulnerable community members are going to be left scrambling, and that's just not right. We feed the city, but sometimes it feels like they forget about us when policies change.
Harpreet Gill-Thiessen, MiTL Sports Desk, Abbotsford.
Gurj and the crew always break down what these changes mean for your pocketbook on the morning show — tune in live at mornings.live.