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Ontario political contributions tax credit
Last Update: March 3, 2026
Ontario, Canada
Tax credit for individual Ontario political contributions
Tax Credits
Overview
The Ontario Political Contributions Tax Credit offers a non-refundable tax credit for individual contributions made to Ontario-registered political parties, constituency associations, or candidates, with the credit amount capped annually according to the Election Finances Act. The program supports political engagement by allowing individuals to claim credits on qualifying donations, with unused contributions eligible to be carried forward for up to 20 years.
At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Strengthening governance
Eligible Funding
- No Condition
Timeline
- Open continuously
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- All industries
Location
- Ontario
Legal structures
- All legal structures
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- All organization sizes
Audience
- All groups
Eligibility
- The applicant must have made political contributions before January 1, 2017, to Ontario registered parties, registered constituency associations, or registered candidates under the Ontario Election Finances Act.
Who is not eligible
- Corporations are not eligible for the Ontario political contributions tax credit effective January 1, 2017.
Eligible expenses
- Monetary contributions made to Ontario registered political parties.
- Monetary contributions made to registered constituency associations in Ontario.
- Monetary contributions made to registered candidates in Ontario.
Eligible geographic areas
- Ontario
How to apply
1
Gather eligible contribution receipts
- Collect receipts for all eligible Ontario political contributions
- Ensure contributions were made before January 1, 2017 and to registered Ontario political entities
- Verify you have not claimed the contributions previously
2
Fill out Schedule 525
- Complete Schedule 525, Ontario Political Contributions Tax Credit
- Calculate your credit using your eligible contributions
3
Report credit on tax return
- Enter the credit amount on line 415 of Schedule 5
- Ensure your tax return includes completed forms
4
Submit your tax return
- File your tax return with the required schedules
- Keep contribution receipts in case the CRA requests them
Additional information
- You must retain original or certified copies of official receipts, as the CRA may request them for verification.
- Unused political contributions can be carried forward for up to 20 years, including those made before 2009.
- The tax credit is non-refundable, meaning it can only reduce your tax payable to zero.
- Official receipts are not required to be filed with your tax return, but may be requested by CRA during review.
