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The feature has always existed, but it was mostly unknown and filing a claim was more complicated, explained Jeremy Bellefeuille, spokesperson for the minister of National Revenue.

So for the launch of the 2020 tax season on February 24, the department created an online verification tool that every taxpayer can access via CRA’s website. Once logged in to the agency’s “My Account” service, click on the “Uncashed cheques” link at the bottom of the “Related services” column on the “Overview” page.

Any unpaid amounts older than six months will be listed on that page, as well as the necessary forms to claim your money.

“This is money that belongs to Canadians. Each year, the Canada Revenue Agency issues millions of payments in the form of refunds and benefits,” Bellefeuille said via email. “In order to help taxpayers reclaim these long lost funds, the CRA soft launched this online feature.”

To his point: none of the National Post’s six parliamentary bureau reporters and columnist knew of the service, and two of them were happy to discover they were owed money dating back to 2005 or 2006.

Bellefeuille encouraged people to sign up for direct deposit payments. “If they’re not registered for direct deposit, a new cheque will be mailed to the address on file,” he said. The number of unpaid sums by CRA has decreased in recent years thanks to the rising popularity of direct deposit payments.

This is money that belongs to Canadians

If CRA is sitting on so much money and is so intent on getting it out, why doesn’t the department simply automatically send taxpayers a new cheque?

“As Government cheques never expire or stale-date, the CRA cannot void the original cheque and reissue a new one unless requested by the taxpayer. Taxpayers are encouraged to cash any cheques they have in their possession,” Bellefeuille said.

In the meantime, the money from the unclaimed cheques doesn’t simply sit in an account waiting to be paid. Instead, it goes back into the government’s general coffers to be used elsewhere until a taxpayer cashes their cheque.