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963 - 1/11/2021 5:10:33 PM  

Virtual Tax Assistance

West Willow Village and Immigrant Services Guelph-Wellington here to help!

For Immediate Release  January 8, 2021 

 A new partnership between Immigrant Services Guelph-Wellington and  the West Willow Village will keep volunteers busy in the coming months helping low income  families file their 2020 tax return. 

The West Willow Village is one of several community  agencies that volunteer to coordinate the CRA Community Volunteer Income Tax Program  (CVITP) year-round.

The CVITP provides help to eligible residents who need to file their tax  returns at no cost.  


For the last 13 years, Immigrant Services Guelph-Wellington (ISGW) has provided free tax  preparation to low income newcomers and families through the Community Volunteer Income Tax  Program. Volunteer tax preparers and staff were trained through Canada Revenue Agency and filed  over 500 returns at the beginning of the pandemic.

 With the pandemic still influencing how  organizations deliver services “this is an opportunity for ISGW to partner with the West Willow  Village who also support newcomers, building capacity and streamlining delivery of services”,  announced Immigrant Services Executive Director Sandra Cocco. 

The West Willow Village is home  to many newcomer families and “we are delighted to be able to work with the agency and local  volunteers to make remote tax filing a reality, especially for people whose first language is not  English”. 

Cocco is impressed with the number of ISGW volunteers who speak another language that  have already signed up for CVTIP training and are ready to continue helping newcomers in a virtual  capacity.  

The West Willow Village offers the CVITP free community support as part of an intentional  poverty alleviation effort. By filing a tax return, individuals and families can get benefits and credits  that can significantly improve their quality of life, however many experience barriers that prevent  them from accessing these income entitlements. 

The West Village also has an eye to growing  financial literacy and neighbourhood skill building.

 “Interested individuals who want to learn about  taxes are provided resources and training, and in turn their language, contacts and efforts help us extend the reach and benefit of the CVITP.” Linda Busuttil, CVITP volunteer Coordinator with the West Willow Village added, “this approach to service delivery means that skills and knowledge  stay with individuals, growing leadership and capacity”. 

Since March 2020, the West Willow  Village has filed almost a thousand returns, providing over $3 million in benefits and supports to  individuals and families, and adding consumer dollars to the community. 

Volunteers interested in  the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program should contact Linda Busuttil at  info@westwillowvillage.ca for more information. 
 
About The Community Volunteer Income Tax Program

• The Community Volunteer Income Tax Program is voluntarily developed and administered by  organizations throughout Canada, there is no funding to agencies for this support to the  community. 

• Many community agencies rely on the CVITP to refer clients for assistance with the filing of prior  and current tax returns. 

• Community Volunteer Income Tax Program information available at  

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