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Tax season starts today! File your 2024 income tax and benefit return to get the benefits and credits you may be eligible for

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2 years ago

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OTTAWA, ON, Feb. 24, 2025 /CNW/ – Today, you can start filing your 2024 income tax return online. For most individuals, the deadline to file is April 30, 2025, and any amounts owed must also be paid by this date.

By filing on time, you will begin or continue to receive the benefit and credit payments you are eligible for, and you may even get a refund.

Filing an income tax and benefit return can help you access benefit and credit payments like:

the GST/HST credit (up to $533 for an eligible individual)the Canada child benefit (up to $7,997 for each child under 6 and up to $6,748 for each child aged 6 to 17)the Canada workers benefit (up to $1,590 for an eligible individual)related provincial and territorial benefit programs

The simplest and fastest way for you to file your taxes is online. The CRA has a list of certified tax software products that are user-friendly, secure, and some of which are free.

Individuals with a modest income and a simple tax situation may be able to have their taxes filed for free by volunteers at a tax clinic. Additionally, the grant program for organizations that offer these clinics has been extended for a fifth year. This funding will provide support for the costs of hosting a clinic.

The CRA is further expanding its automatic tax filing initiative, increasing the number of invitations sent to low-income individuals to use the SimpleFile by Phone service to 2 million. If you are eligible, you will receive a letter informing you that you can complete your tax return simply, securely and for free over the phone. You may also be invited to try out a new digital option as part of a pilot.

The CRA is here to help you file your taxes easily and get the benefits and credits that you are entitled to, with digital services readily available to find you the answers you need quickly—without having to call in. These services include:

Your CRA account lets you access the My Account portal to view your personal income tax and benefit information, such as tax slips and notices of assessment from previous years and allows you to manage your tax affairs online.When using certified tax software, the Auto-fill my return service automatically fills in parts of your income tax and benefit return with information that the CRA has available at the time of the request.If you file your taxes online and have direct deposit set up, your refund could be in your bank account in as little as eight business days.A new online chat service within My Account where you can discuss account-specific issues with a live CRA agent.A Check CRA processing times tool for income tax and benefit returns and other tax-related requests.

If you, or your spouse or common-law partner who was living with you at any time in the year, are self-employed, you generally have until June 15, 2025, to file your taxes. Since this date falls on a Sunday, the CRA will consider your income tax and benefit return filed on time if it is received on or before June 16, 2025.

The CRA provides free tax help to support small business owners and self-employed individuals understand their tax obligations through meetings with a Liaison Officer.

Amounts owed to the CRA must be paid by April 30, 2025, to avoid paying interest. Several payment options are available to accommodate different situations, including online banking, debit, and credit card. If a payment cannot be made on time or in full, you can contact the CRA to set up a payment arrangement.

Quotes

“Tax season has officially started! Regardless of your situation, it is important to file your tax return. This will allow you to receive the benefits and credits to which you are entitled, such as the GST/HST credit, the Canada Child Benefit, or the Canadian Dental Care Plan. Several tools are available to help you, and our teams at the Canada Revenue Agency are ready to serve you across the country.”

–       The Honourable Élisabeth Brière, Minister of National Revenue

Quick facts

Information about taxes, filing options, and the digital services and programs that help make tax filing easier for individuals is available at canada.ca/taxes.Individuals who had no income for 2024, or income that is not taxable or tax exempt, must still file an annual income tax and benefit return to receive eligible benefit and credit payments. A list of who has to file an income tax and benefit return is available online.The Department of Finance recently announced that it will introduce legislation in Parliament in due course, related to the capital gains inclusion rate change with a new effective date of January 1, 2026. Full details are available in the CRA’s tax tip on capital gains taxation changes.The CRA is working diligently to update its systems to reflect the currently enacted capital gains inclusion rate of one-half. However, this update may not be completed on February 24, 2025. The CRA recommends that those impacted by this situation wait until the updates are completed in the coming weeks before filing their income tax and benefit return. The CRA will grant relief in respect of late-filing penalties and interest until June 2, 2025, for individual filers and until May 1, 2025, for Trust filers to provide additional time for taxpayers reporting capital gains to meet their tax filing obligations.The fastest way to make adjustments to a tax return is using ReFILE or Change my return. By submitting an adjustment request electronically, it will take about two weeks to process rather than paper requests which can take 8 to 10 weeks.The CRA has numerous security measures, technologies, processes, and controls to ensure the security of taxpayer information. These include multi-factor authentication throughout the CRA sign-in services, and proactively revoking CRA user IDs and passwords that may have been obtained by unauthorized third parties through external sources.It is important to watch for scams this tax-filing season. Tools to help protect yourself against fraudulent schemes and how to report any scams, suspicious activity, or suspected tax evasion are available at Canada.ca/taxes-fraud-prevention.

Associated links

Tax season starts on February 24! Here’s what you need to start filing 

Contacts

Alain Mukeba 

Press Secretary 
Office of the Minister of National Revenue 
alain.mukeba@cra-arc.gc.ca

Media Relations 
Canada Revenue Agency 
613-948-8366
cra-arc.media@cra-arc.gc.ca  

Stay connected

Follow the CRA on Facebook
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Follow the CRA on LinkedIn
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Subscribe to a CRA electronic mailing list
Add our RSS feeds to your feed reader
Watch our tax-related videos on YouTube
Listen to our Taxology podcast

SOURCE Canada Revenue Agency

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ST Engineering iDirect and MBSat Partner to Build Next-Generation Sovereign Connectivity Services Across Oman and the Middle East

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3 hours ago

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October 25, 2026

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Intuition ground system selected to support MBSat’s planned 2027 service launch, enabling accelerated deployment, dynamic resource management and scalable service growth

HERNDON, Va., Oct. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — ST Engineering iDirect today announced a strategic partnership with Mohammed Al Barwani Satellite Company (MBSat), part of Mohammed Al Barwani Group, to provide the ground system technology foundation for MBSat’s next-generation satellite gateway and network operations across Oman and the wider Middle East region. Intuition will provide a flexible, software-defined foundation to support sovereign connectivity services, enabling efficient service deployment, dynamic resource management and scalable network operations.

Intuition will deliver a turnkey ground segment solution that accelerates deployment, simplifies operations and gives MBSat the flexibility to scale services as demand grows. The software-defined platform enables dynamic resource management, service automation and seamless integration with existing and future operational systems. The solution also includes Ka-band gateway infrastructure, service provisioning and management capabilities, open API integration frameworks, training and full-lifecycle support. Together, these capabilities will help MBSat launch and operate services efficiently while adapting to evolving market requirements.

The network will leverage capacity from MB Sat-1, a sovereign MicroGEO satellite, with planned service launch in 2027, to support flexible, scalable connectivity services across the region.

The partnership reflects growing investment in sovereign communications infrastructure across the Middle East as operators seek greater control over service delivery, network expansion and long-term technology evolution.

“This partnership represents an important milestone in our efforts to build an advanced satellite communications platform in Oman and the region,” said Ammar Al Rawahi, General Manager, MBSat. “Through our collaboration with ST Engineering iDirect, we are establishing the technical infrastructure required to launch services efficiently, respond to evolving customer needs and expand into new markets, supporting the sustainable long-term growth of our business.”

“We are providing MBSat with a flexible, software-defined ground platform that integrates with its existing operational environment,” said Sridhar Kuppanna, Chief Executive Officer, ST Engineering iDirect. “This enables more efficient service deployment and operations today, with the flexibility to scale, introduce new capabilities and evolve as requirements change.”

About ST Engineering iDirect

ST Engineering iDirect, a subsidiary of ST Engineering, is a global leader in satellite communications, providing technology and solutions that enable its customers to expand their business, differentiate their services and optimize their networks. Through its portfolio of ground infrastructure, intelligent networking and advanced satellite communications solutions, the company supports operators, service providers, governments and enterprises worldwide.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/st-engineering-idirect-and-mbsat-partner-to-build-next-generation-sovereign-connectivity-services-across-oman-and-the-middle-east-302918467.html

SOURCE ST Engineering iDirect

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ST Engineering iDirect and MBSat Partner to Build Next-Generation Sovereign Connectivity Services Across Oman and the Middle East

Published

3 hours ago

on

October 25, 2026

By

Intuition ground system selected to support MBSat’s planned 2027 service launch, enabling accelerated deployment, dynamic resource management and scalable service growth

HERNDON, Va., Oct. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — ST Engineering iDirect today announced a strategic partnership with Mohammed Al Barwani Satellite Company (MBSat), part of Mohammed Al Barwani Group, to provide the ground system technology foundation for MBSat’s next-generation satellite gateway and network operations across Oman and the wider Middle East region. Intuition will provide a flexible, software-defined foundation to support sovereign connectivity services, enabling efficient service deployment, dynamic resource management and scalable network operations.

Intuition will deliver a turnkey ground segment solution that accelerates deployment, simplifies operations and gives MBSat the flexibility to scale services as demand grows. The software-defined platform enables dynamic resource management, service automation and seamless integration with existing and future operational systems. The solution also includes Ka-band gateway infrastructure, service provisioning and management capabilities, open API integration frameworks, training and full-lifecycle support. Together, these capabilities will help MBSat launch and operate services efficiently while adapting to evolving market requirements.

The network will leverage capacity from MB Sat-1, a sovereign MicroGEO satellite, with planned service launch in 2027, to support flexible, scalable connectivity services across the region.

The partnership reflects growing investment in sovereign communications infrastructure across the Middle East as operators seek greater control over service delivery, network expansion and long-term technology evolution.

“This partnership represents an important milestone in our efforts to build an advanced satellite communications platform in Oman and the region,” said Ammar Al Rawahi, General Manager, MBSat. “Through our collaboration with ST Engineering iDirect, we are establishing the technical infrastructure required to launch services efficiently, respond to evolving customer needs and expand into new markets, supporting the sustainable long-term growth of our business.”

“We are providing MBSat with a flexible, software-defined ground platform that integrates with its existing operational environment,” said Sridhar Kuppanna, Chief Executive Officer, ST Engineering iDirect. “This enables more efficient service deployment and operations today, with the flexibility to scale, introduce new capabilities and evolve as requirements change.”

About ST Engineering iDirect

ST Engineering iDirect, a subsidiary of ST Engineering, is a global leader in satellite communications, providing technology and solutions that enable its customers to expand their business, differentiate their services and optimize their networks. Through its portfolio of ground infrastructure, intelligent networking and advanced satellite communications solutions, the company supports operators, service providers, governments and enterprises worldwide.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/st-engineering-idirect-and-mbsat-partner-to-build-next-generation-sovereign-connectivity-services-across-oman-and-the-middle-east-302918467.html

SOURCE ST Engineering iDirect

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Global Security & Technology Summit Unveils Month-Long Program of Activities Ahead of December Event

Published

10 hours ago

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October 24, 2026

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RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Oct. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Organizing Committee of the Global Security & Technology Summit (GSTS) held an introductory session today at the Ministry of Interior’s headquarters in Riyadh, bringing together representatives from the government, private, and nonprofit sectors to introduce the program of activities leading up to the summit. The upcoming summit will be held in Riyadh under the patronage of HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, under the supervision of HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Minister of Interior, and organized by the Ministry of Interior in cooperation with Tuwaiq Academy.

During the session, the Organizing Committee presented the comprehensive GSTS program, comprising three key components: GSTS Month, running from November 1 to 30, 2026; the Global Security & Innovation Fair (SAIF), taking place from November 24 to 26, 2026; and the main Summit, scheduled for December 18 to 20, 2026, in Riyadh. Together, these events form an integrated program designed to advance security and technology innovation, strengthen national capabilities, and foster international cooperation.

GSTS Month will feature working groups, boot camps, training programs, knowledge-sharing sessions, and technical workshops across Saudi Arabia’s 13 administrative regions, delivered both in person and remotely in collaboration with specialized entities. The month-long program aims to develop national capabilities, identify emerging talent, enrich knowledge-sharing opportunities, and equip professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to develop innovative solutions to future security and technology challenges.

The main Summit will bring together global leaders, decision-makers, experts, and innovators to explore the future of security and technology, promote the integration of advanced technologies within the security sector, strengthen national capabilities, support innovation, and foster international cooperation, further positioning the Kingdom as a global hub for security and technology.

Showcasing the latest technological breakthroughs and security solutions, the summit will bring together government entities, private sector organizations, academic institutions, and research centers to facilitate knowledge exchange and collaboration across key fields, including cybersecurity, artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), smart security solutions, emerging technologies, and crisis management. The program will also feature main sessions, specialized discussions, and interactive exhibitions. Registration is available at gsts.sa.

Advisor to HRH the Minister of Interior and Chairman of the GSTS Organizing Committee, Ahmed Altowayan, stated that the summit builds on Saudi Arabia’s efforts to establish an advanced security and technology ecosystem focused on knowledge and innovation, keeping pace with rapid developments and future challenges.

Mr. Altowayan noted that the summit is a global platform for strengthening cooperation and exchanging expertise, anticipating future developments in security and technology, and developing strategic partnerships and innovative solutions that enhance the efficiency and readiness of security systems.

Vice Chairman of the GSTS Organizing Committee, Eng. Abdulaziz Alhammadi, said that the summit will offer a range of integrated programs and activities focused on enhancing national skills, encouraging innovation, and supporting international cooperation.

He added that GSTS Month will help build national capabilities, discover talent, and develop skills, with SAIF providing a platform for innovators and researchers from around the world to showcase leading technological solutions, while the main Summit will bring together leaders and experts to discuss the future of security and technology and explore new strategic partnership opportunities.

SAIF will take place at the Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Center, bringing together innovators, researchers, technology talents, and industry experts from around the world to showcase promising innovations and projects across 14 fields of technology and innovation. The fair will provide opportunities to engage with project owners, including students, graduates, and entrepreneurs, and explore the different stages of innovation development through interactive zones, panel discussions on emerging security and innovation trends, and knowledge-sharing workshops led by specialists. Visitor registration is open to participants from within and outside the Kingdom through saifair.sa.

The introductory session also featured contributions from representatives of government, private, and nonprofit sector entities, alongside members of the media. Discussions focused on developing national capabilities in security and technology, strengthening students’ technical expertise, translating scientific research into practical solutions, and supporting Saudi companies in developing security and technology solutions and advancing digital transformation.

Organized by the Ministry of Interior in cooperation with Tuwaiq Academy, GSTS is produced by Tahaluf, with the Ministry of Education serving as Strategic Scientific Partner, Tahakom as Founding Partner, and Elm as Principal Partner.

Registration for participants from within and outside the Kingdom is available at gsts.sa.

Click here to view the media kit. 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/global-security–technology-summit-unveils-month-long-program-of-activities-ahead-of-december-event-302918695.html

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