Overview

The temporary Ontario Staycation Tax Credit for 2022 aims to encourage Ontario families to explore the province, while helping the tourism and hospitality sectors recover from the financial impacts of the COVID‑19 pandemic.

Ontario residents can claim 20% of their eligible 2022 accommodation expenses, for example, for a stay at a hotel, cottage or campground, when filing their personal Income Tax and Benefit Return for 2022. You can claim eligible expenses of up to $1,000 as an individual or $2,000 if you have a spouse, common-law partner or eligible children, to get back up to $200 as an individual or $400 as a family.

The credit will provide an estimated $270 million in support to about 1.85 million Ontario families.

Who is eligible

You are eligible to claim the credit if you are an Ontario resident on December 31, 2022.

Only one individual per family can claim the credit for the year. Your claim can include the eligible expenses of your spouse or common-law partner and your eligible children. An eligible child is not entitled to claim the credit.

If you do not have a spouse or common-law partner, or eligible child, you can claim your own eligible expenses for the credit.

Eligible expenses

You can claim the Ontario Staycation Tax Credit for accommodation expenses for a leisure stay of less than a month in Ontario, at a short-term accommodation or camping accommodation, such as a:

  • hotel
  • motel
  • resort
  • lodge
  • bed-and-breakfast establishment
  • cottage
  • campground
  • vacation rental property

The tax credit only applies to leisure stays between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2022, regardless of the timing of payment for the stays.

The accommodation expenses must have been paid by you, your spouse or common-law partner, or your eligible child, as set out on a detailed receipt provided by a supplier registered for the Goods and Services Tax (GST)/Harmonized Sales Tax (HST).

As long as all other conditions are met, you can claim any of the following expenses:

  • accommodation for a single trip or multiple trips, up to the maximum expense limit of $1,000 as an individual or $2,000 as a family
  • accommodations booked either directly with the accommodation provider or through an online accommodation platform
  • the portion of the expense that is necessary to have access to the accommodation
  • the accommodation portion of a tour package expense

You must keep your detailed receipts for any eligible expenses you claim for the credit. Those receipts must include:

  • the location of the accommodation
  • the amount that can reasonably be considered to be for the accommodation portion of a stay
  • the amount of any GST/HST paid
  • the date of the stay
  • the name of the payor

Ineligible expenses

Short-term accommodation would generally not include a timeshare agreement, or a stay on a boat, train or other vehicle that can be self-propelled.

The tax credit cannot be claimed for:

  • travel expenses that are not for short-term accommodation or camping accommodation, such as expenses for car rentals, fuel, flights, groceries, parking, or prices of admission into local attractions and places of interest
  • accommodation expenses reimbursed to you, your spouse or common-law partner, or your eligible child, by any person, including by a friend or an employer
  • expenses that are incurred for school or educational purposes, or for a work, employment or business purpose, or that can be claimed for a medical expense tax credit

How to claim the credit

You can claim the credit on your personal Income Tax and Benefit Return for 2022.

The Ontario Staycation Tax Credit is a refundable personal income tax credit. This means that if you are eligible, you can get this tax credit regardless of whether you owe income tax for 2022.

Contact the Canada Revenue Agency

If you have questions about the tax credit, please contact the Canada Revenue Agency

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