Ottawa Community Steps Up During Tax Season with Essential Support Services
As tax season arrives in Canada, running typically from late February through April, the Ottawa community is demonstrating remarkable solidarity through numerous free tax clinics. These initiatives are specifically designed to assist students, seniors, and low-income families in navigating the often daunting process of filing their returns.
Carleton University Students Lead Volunteer Effort
The Sprott Tax Students' Association at Carleton University has been at the forefront of this community response. Co-presidents Brianna Yeung and Kaleb Denning organized a week-long in-person tax clinic that concluded on Saturday, March 28, 2026. This service provided free tax filing assistance to both Carleton students and Ottawa residents, helping to complete more than 300 tax returns this year alone.
Joseph Barzyk, a Carleton University business accounting alumnus now working at McCay Duff LLP, was among the tax specialists volunteering at the clinic. "I've always enjoyed doing my own taxes," Barzyk noted, explaining that he attended the event specifically to help alleviate the anxiety many people experience during tax season.
Creating Community Through Shared Experience
Brianna Yeung emphasized the unexpected sense of community that emerges from these tax clinics. "You're in a room of people and other volunteers that are in the same boat as you and are like, 'Oh my God, I need help with my taxes,' and so there's this sense of belonging," she observed.
For many participants, these clinics represent more than just financial assistance. Lazourd Alnashed, a third-year Carleton journalism and business student, experienced filing her taxes independently for the first time through the campus clinic. The process took her less than thirty minutes, providing both practical help and a valuable sense of independence.
Addressing Accessibility Concerns
Alnashed highlighted the critical accessibility issues surrounding tax preparation services, noting that her father typically paid between $70 and $100 for professional tax assistance for their family. "This is not a luxury," she asserted. "This is something you need to do as a citizen and as someone who lives in Canada."
The Sprott Tax Students' Association operates through funding from the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program (CVITP) grant, a federal government initiative that supports community organizations providing free tax clinics for people with modest incomes and simple tax situations. The amount of funding the association receives depends directly on the number of returns they file each year.
Expanding Community Reach
In 2025, the association expanded its services beyond campus boundaries, visiting communities at Riverside United Church and Blackburn Hamlet Community Hall. During that outreach effort, they helped file over 600 tax returns. While planning challenges led them to focus primarily on Carleton grounds in 2026, their commitment to serving the broader Ottawa community remains strong.
These tax clinics represent more than just financial assistance—they embody a community coming together to support its most vulnerable members during a stressful annual obligation. Through volunteer efforts and federal support programs, Ottawa residents are finding both practical solutions and unexpected camaraderie during tax season.
