What is the digital news subscription tax credit?

The digital news subscription tax credit is a non-refundable federal tax credit for amounts paid for qualifying digital news subscriptions from eligible Canadian journalism organizations. You can claim up to $500 in qualifying subscriptions, which provides a 15% credit of up to $75 per year on your federal tax return.

Which news subscriptions qualify for the tax credit?

The subscription must be for digital news content from a Qualified Canadian Journalism Organization (QCJO). Major eligible outlets include The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, National Post, La Presse, Le Devoir, and many regional newspapers. The organization must be designated as a QCJO by the Canada Revenue Agency. Only the digital access portion qualifies — print subscriptions do not.

How do I claim the digital news subscription tax credit?

Claim the credit on Line 31350 of your federal tax return. You need the amount paid and the name of the qualifying organization. Your subscription receipt or credit card statement is your proof. The credit is 15% of up to $500, giving a maximum credit of $75. It is non-refundable, meaning it can only reduce tax owing to zero.

Digital News Subscription Tax Credit in Canada

Credit at a Glance

Feature	Detail
Type	Non-refundable federal tax credit
Maximum qualifying amount	$500 per year
Credit rate	15%
Maximum tax savings	$75 per year
Claimed on	Line 31350 of federal tax return
What qualifies	Digital news subscriptions from QCJOs
What does NOT qualify	Print-only subscriptions, TV/radio, podcasts, magazines
Who can claim	Any Canadian individual taxpayer

How the Credit Works

Step	Detail
1	You pay for a digital news subscription from an eligible organization
2	Only the digital access portion counts (not print delivery)
3	Keep your receipt or credit card statement as proof
4	At tax time, enter the amount on Line 31350 (up to $500)
5	The credit reduces your federal tax by 15% of the amount claimed

Credit Calculation Examples

Annual Subscription Cost	Qualifying Amount	Tax Credit (15%)
$100	$100	$15
$200	$200	$30
$350	$350	$52.50
$500	$500	$75
$700	$500 (capped)	$75

What Qualifies

Qualifies	Does NOT Qualify
Digital subscription to QCJO newspaper	Print-only newspaper subscription
Online-only access to QCJO publication	Magazine subscriptions
Digital portion of a print + digital bundle	TV news subscriptions (CBC Gem, etc.)
Multiple qualifying subscriptions (up to $500 total)	Radio subscriptions / podcasts
Gifts of qualifying subscriptions (if you paid)	Foreign news subscriptions (NYT, WSJ, etc.)
	Social media or aggregator services
	Streaming services (Netflix, Spotify, etc.)

Eligible Canadian Journalism Organizations (Examples)

National Publications

Publication	Eligible?	Type
The Globe and Mail	✅ QCJO	National newspaper
Toronto Star / thestar.com	✅ QCJO	National/Ontario newspaper
National Post / Financial Post	✅ QCJO	National newspaper
La Presse	✅ QCJO	Quebec national newspaper
Le Devoir	✅ QCJO	Quebec national newspaper

Regional / Local Publications (Selection)

Publication	Province	Eligible?
Vancouver Sun	BC	✅ QCJO
Calgary Herald	AB	✅ QCJO
Edmonton Journal	AB	✅ QCJO
Winnipeg Free Press	MB	✅ QCJO
Ottawa Citizen	ON	✅ QCJO
Hamilton Spectator	ON	✅ QCJO
Halifax Chronicle Herald	NS	✅ QCJO
Telegraph-Journal	NB	✅ QCJO

NOT Eligible (Common Misconceptions)

Publication/Service	Why Not Eligible
CBC News	Public broadcaster — not a QCJO
CTV News	Broadcast media — not a QCJO
Global News	Broadcast media — not a QCJO
BNN Bloomberg	Broadcast/digital media
Maclean’s	Magazine, not a newspaper
The New York Times	Foreign publication
The Washington Post	Foreign publication
The Economist	Foreign publication
Substack newsletters	Not designated QCJOs
The Walrus	Magazine

How to Check if Your Subscription Qualifies

Step	Action
1	Check the CRA’s list of designated QCJOs at canada.ca
2	Search for your publication name
3	If listed, your digital subscription qualifies
4	If not listed, the credit cannot be claimed
5	Contact the publication directly — they may know their QCJO status

Print + Digital Bundle Rules

Scenario	What You Can Claim
Digital-only subscription	Full amount (up to $500)
Print + digital bundle	Only the digital access portion
How to determine digital portion	Publication should indicate the digital-only price; if not, CRA accepts a reasonable allocation
Publication provides a breakdown	Use that breakdown
No breakdown available	Use the standalone digital subscription price as the qualifying amount

Claiming the Credit on Your Tax Return

Tax Software	Where to Enter
TurboTax	“Digital news subscription” in deductions/credits
Wealthsimple Tax	Under “Provincial and Federal Credits”
H&R Block	Line 31350 in credits section
Paper return	Line 31350, Schedule 1

What to Keep for Your Records
Subscription receipt or invoice
Credit card or bank statement showing payment
Name of the publication
Confirmation it’s a QCJO (from CRA list)
Amount paid for digital access

Is the Credit Worth It?

Consideration	Detail
Maximum savings	$75/year (15% × $500)
If you already subscribe	Free money — claim it
If you would not otherwise subscribe	$500 cost for $75 credit = you still spend $425 net
Best strategy	Claim if you already pay for digital news anyway
Combine subscriptions	Multiple qualifying subscriptions can be combined up to $500