The CMRAO has received inquiries about how condominium managers should respond to residents who want guidance on claiming work-from-home expenses on their 2020 income tax returns. With the ongoing pandemic resulting in thousands of Ontarians working from home, condominium managers may be approached with interesting income tax–related questions and scenarios.

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has developed rules and a detailed method for claiming expenses specifically for professionals who work from home. This year, the CRA understands that the number of Canadians eligible to claim home office expenses on their income tax has significantly increased. To accommodate the influx of claims, the CRA announced that they have created a simplified method allowing eligible employees to claim a deduction of $2 for each day they worked at home up to a maximum of $400.

Eligible individuals can choose between making claims through the original detailed method or by the new simplified method. A comparison of both methods and a guide on how to follow them is available on the Government of Canada website.

Every condominium corporation is different and has different arrangements in place with respect to resources and expenses. For example, some buildings include hydro and/or cable and internet, while others do not. With so many variations, the CMRAO is not able to provide specific advice.