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Did you make it?


Northern News Services

Yellowknife (May 01/01) - Read this with the smug satisfaction you so richly desire.

You filed your taxes early, so you're scoffing at all those late filers who missed yesterday's deadline to file their income tax return, right?

Whatever.

The Yellowknife Post Office seemed to be doing a brisk business Monday, as the April 30 deadline loomed.

The ubiquitous 9 x 5.75-inch grey envelope addressed to the friendly folks at the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency were arriving at the post office in a steady stream. At least one person was observed grabbing the booklets, forms, schedules, addenda, and sundry others.

It was unclear whether the person was pulling an all-nighter. They fled before they could be asked.

"Actually, I always just say get them in as soon as possible," said CCRA spokesperson Ron Quinn.

"As long as you get it in, even if you can't afford to pay it right away, at least you've avoided that five per cent late fee."

Yellowknifers and Northerners generally tend to file their taxes a bit earlier than their Southern counterparts.

Quinn suspects the early bird mentality is a byproduct of larger-than-average refunds.

Although the figures are unavailable, it's well known to anyone in Yellowknife that Northern Residents deductions and other goodies tend to sweeten the pot for residents. The rest is a no-brainer.

"Most people who have money coming tend to file by the end of March," said Quinn.

Inexplicably, those who owe tend to wait a bit later.

Whatever the rationale, the money comes in, it goes out, and if local retailers are to be believed, the economy enjoys a little spike as the refunds arrive in our gleeful little hands.

A local travel agent, speaking on condition of anonymity, said tax time means travel time.

"Someone came in just the other day after getting their tax refund and plopped a big chunk down on a trip," she said.