The following notice to the profession has been posted on behalf of the Canada Revenue Agency.
Important update for law firms requesting a one-time disclosure of taxpayer information for use in client‑related legal matters
The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) is transitioning to online self-service to provide a secure and convenient way for your clients to access their tax information.
As of April 15, 2026, the CRA will no longer process requests from lawyers or law firms for the following taxpayer information:
- Income statements
- Notices of assessment
- Benefits information
The information will have to be requested by your client(s) through the CRA’s secure online portals.
This will also apply to any unactioned requests remaining in the CRA inventory made prior to April 15, 2026. The CRA are taking steps to notify these requestors directly, where possible. Please ensure follow-up with your clients as required.
The protection of the personal information of taxpayers is a priority for the CRA, and they are making this change to strengthen the integrity of the consent process while improving both security and efficiency for your clients.
Background:
This transition to online self-service follows previous changes made by the CRA to enhance the security and protection of taxpayer information:
- September 17, 2025, the CRA stopped accepting one-time authorizations (OTAs) submitted by injury lawyers. For security reasons, an interim policy was implemented to release tax information directly to the taxpayer instead.
- December 15, 2025: The policy was further updated to no longer provide copies of income tax slips that are available through self-service online options via CRA secure portals.
Secure and convenient ways for your clients to obtain this information:
Your clients can access their own information online through their CRA account, which is available seven days a week. In most cases, information slips will be available by mid-March once the issuer has submitted them to the CRA for that tax year.
If an information slip is not available in the clients’ CRA account, they can contact the issuer of the slip, such as their employer or financial institution, to obtain a copy.
Your clients can also call the CRA’s automated phone line at 1-800-959-8281 to get a proof of income statement mailed to them.
Please direct all inquires related to the above changes to the Canada Revenue Agency directly.
The NSBS is not able to assist or provide further information related to the above CRA policy change.