May Canadian Business Due Dates & Three Fabulous Free Business Resources!

Welcome to April 29th 2026!
In this Newsletter:

• What’s due at the end of April?
• My Three Favorite Resources for May!
• What due dates are coming up in May?
• Announcements & Updates

What’s Due End of April?

April 30th is a big due date for many Canadians! Here's some important ones for you to be aware of:​

• If your GST/HST is quarterly, and falls on the standard quarters, then the 1st quarter (Jan to Mar), is ​due to be filed and paid​ on or before April 30th
• If your ​GST/HST Filing is annual​, and based on the Calendar Year January to December, AND you are a self-employed, then your due date to file your HST is June 15th. BUT! Your due date to PAY is April 30th. ​
• If your GST/HST is annual, and is based on the standard Calendar Year, and also was payable by more than $3k the previous year you filed, then you are required to pay a ​GST/HST instalment​ towards your 2026 GST/HST Return on or before April 30th. This installment should be either 25% of what your net GST/HST was from your previous filing, or 25% of what you predict it will be if you predict it to be less then the year before.
• If you have employees, then you likely are registered for provincial Workplace Insurance (WSIB/WCB). WCB in some provinces is due monthly, and on the 15th. In Ontario, ​WSIB is due quarterly for Insurable Earnings over $20k​, and the premiums on earnings from Jan 1st to March 31st are due on April 30th.​ ​
• For those who are not self-employed (or are not a spouse of someone self-employed), their ​Personal Income Tax Return​ is due on or before April 30th. April 30th is also their due date to pay any income tax owing. ​
• For those who ARE self-employed (or are the spouse of someone self-employed), though their Personal Income Tax Return is not due until June 15th,​ your due date to pay any income tax owing is STILL April 30th!​ Even if your income tax is not finalized, find out an estimate of what the taxes may be, and be sure to pay that to CRA as an installment on 2025's tax account before April 30th. ​​
• If your business is incorporated, and owed corporate Income Tax for the previous fiscal year, then you are required to pay installments for next year on the last day of every month. April 30th is the due date for the ​April Corporate Tax Instalment​.​ ​
• Though there are no other standard items due at the end of this month, be aware that if your Sales Tax filing is monthly, March's GST/HST filing and remittance is due on April 30th. Also, if your Corporate Fiscal Year End is October, your Corporate Tax Return is due 6 months after your Fiscal Year end (in April). If your Corporate Year End is February, the Income Tax Payable is payable 2 or 3 months after the Fiscal Year End; either due in April or in May, depending on your corporation. Check in with your accountant to find out more about your corporate tax due dates specific to your corporation. Find out more ​here​.

My Three Favorite Resources May!

Here are three fabulous resources to help your business thrive this May!

1. How to Avoid Red Flags on Your Canadian Business Taxes: Understanding common audit triggers is the secret to a stress-free tax season. Kata Accounting's ​latest guide​ breaks down how to avoid the most frequent mistakes, from unreported income to unusual expense claims, so you can stay organized and keep more of your hard-earned money.
2. What's Your Problem?: If you're looking for a fresh addition to your podcast rotation, I highly recommend checking out "​What's Your Problem​?" from Pushkin Industries. Hosted by Jacob Goldstein, this show takes a fascinating approach to the entrepreneurial journey. Instead of just focusing on success stories, each episode features a deep dive with an innovator, ranging from engineers to CEOs, about a specific, high-stakes problem they are trying to solve. It’s a great listen for any business owner who enjoys understanding the "how" behind the "what," and it offers a unique perspective on how smart people navigate the hurdles of scaling and innovation.
3. Business assessments and quizzes: BDC offers ​free assessments​ that give you a good idea of where your business stands. From "Business Health Assessment for Entrepreneurs" to "Cash Flow Quiz for Entrepreneurs" and many others, use them to inspire your strategic planning and set yourself on the path to continuous improvement.
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What Resources have you found that have helped you start, run, or grow your business? Feature it (and a callout to your business!) in our next Resources Newsletter!


What due dates are coming up in May?

Now’s the time to prep your May Calendar! #BeThatBusiness that is organized! Here are some May due dates that might affect your business: *Note* May 31st falls on a Sunday in 2026, so any ​CRA Due Dates for May 31st​ are due Monday June 1st this year.

• If your business has employees and is a ​regular remitter​, May 15th is the due date for your payroll source deductions relating to April's payroll.
• If your business has employees, then you likely are registered for provincial Workplace Insurance (WSIB/WCB). WCB in some provinces is due monthly, and on the 15th. (In Ontario, WSIB is due quarterly, and the premiums on earnings from April to June are due on July 31st)
• May 18th is the May Long weekend! It is known as Victoria Day in some provinces and Patriot's Day in Quebec. There are 4 Canadian provinces that do not recognize this statutory holiday including New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland & Labrador. Find out more about the May Long Weekend Payroll Legislation for your Province ​here​.
• If your business is incorporated, and owed corporate Income Tax for the previous fiscal year, then the business is required to pay installments for next year on the last day of every month. May 31st is the due date for the ​May Corporate Tax Instalment​.
• ​Though there are no other standard items due at the end of this month, be aware that if your Sales Tax filing is monthly, April's GST/HST filing and remittance is due on May 31st. If your Sales Tax quarterly filing is on a different schedule because of a corporate fiscal year end date that is not standard, the GST/HST for a quarter February to April would be due May 31st. Also, if your Corporate Fiscal Year End is November, your Corporate Tax Return is due 6 months after your Fiscal Year end (May 31st). If your Corporate Year End is March, the Income Tax Payable is payable 2 or 3 months after the Fiscal Year End; either due end of May or end of June, depending on your corporation. Check in with your accountant to find out more about your corporate tax due dates specific to your corporation. Find out more ​here​.

Announcements & Updates:

I EARNED MY LETTERS! I passed! 🎉 I am now officially certified with the Certified Professional Bookkeepers of Canada (CPB)! I have enjoyed the community and benefits of my CPB membership, but had not gone through the certification process. With about two decades of practical experience in bookkeeping, including supporting new and learning bookkeepers, I felt confident in my experience and abilities. What I've always valued about my CPB membership is the opportunity to continue learning and connecting with colleagues. As we enter a new era of bookkeeping with past and future technical innovations, I have found that how people learn bookkeeping and how we teach bookkeeping has been shifting, and I want to be part of that conversation. To that end, I decided it was time to become officially certified. In preparing for the exam, I was glad to add more layers and context, and find the gaps, to what my practical experience has given me so far. I got more than letters while preparing for this! I appreciated both the validation and the additional insights I gained on my journey to my CPB designation!

FABULOUS FIRST FRIDAYS @FIVE!: Looking to connect? Join my live FABULOUS FIRST FRIDAYS @FIVE open Zoom Meeting! My Monthly Open AMA Zoom Chat Session where we can connect and discuss questions regarding starting and running a business in Canada! (and all things related such as bookkeeping and software and apps!). It's a free group event where anyone can drop by to say hi and ask a question! Click ​here​ to register!

Be Intentional Today! Get out there, and Be That Business That Thrives!
Naomi Wilkins, CPB
I Love Making Bookkeeping Make Sense
​www.naomiwilkins.ca​


Need more than a First Friday fix? Here are a few ways I can help:
• ​QBO GST/HST Module Fix​
• ​QBO File Health & Reliability Review​
• ​Nifty Nomi One-on-One Zoom Session​




Disclaimer: This Newsletter is intended to inform readers in general terms. It is not intended to provide any tax or business advice. Please consult your accountant if you have any questions about your unique situation. While I have tried to ensure the accuracy of the information in this newsletter, I accept no liability for errors or omissions.