MONTREAL -- Quebecers who received government financial aid related to COVID-19 could be getting a bit of a break on their next income tax return.

Those who qualify will not have to pay interest on the balance of their 2020 tax return for a one-year period, until April 30, 2022, according to Revenue Quebec.

“Since the start of the pandemic, our government has sought to support those who have been affected by the crisis,” said Finance Minister Eric Girard in a press release. “This measure will help citizens who have received assistance benefits by giving them more time to pay their tax balances.”

The measure specifically applies to Quebec residents who received any of the following, and who will also have a balance to pay on their 2020 tax return:

  • Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB)
  • Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB)
  • Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB)
  • Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB)
  • Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB)
  • Employment Insurance (EI) benefits (including maternity and paternity benefits)
  • Incentive Program to Retain Essential Workers (IPREW)

To be eligible, a person’s total taxable income must have been $75,000 or less in 2020, and their income tax return needs to be filed no later than April 30, 2021 to avoid having a late filing penalty added to their balance.