I’m on maternity leave, do I need to file a return?

Yes. Since the maternity and parental benefit payments you received are considered to be income, you’ll need to file a tax return.

You can find the amount of maternity and/or parental benefits you received in box 14 of your T4E: Statement of employment insurance and other benefits slip (if you’re a resident of Québec, you’ll also receive a relevé 6: Québec parental insurance plan slip).

Note: Unless you specifically indicate that you’d like to receive a paper copy of your T4E slip, you’ll only be able to locate your benefit information through your Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) My Account (registration required).