What the CRA says individuals should keep
The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) page on what to include with your return and what records to keep says: "Keep all receipts and documents for at least six years after you file your return", because the CRA may request a review. It adds that if you file electronically you should keep all receipts and documents in case the CRA asks to see them later.
The same page says to keep a copy of your return, your notice of assessment and any notice of reassessment, and notes that these help when you complete next year's return.
This is general information, not tax or legal advice. Your situation may differ, so check the linked CRA pages for the rules that apply to you.
Where the rules for books and records come from
CRA Information Circular IC78-10 covers books and records retention and destruction. It says the general minimum is six years from the end of the last tax year to which the records relate, and that the tax year is the fiscal period for corporations and the calendar year for everyone else. It applies to every person required to keep books and records, including persons carrying on a business.
The circular also describes exceptions for some records, so the six-year figure is a general minimum, not a rule for every case. Note that the individual page counts from the date you file, while the circular counts from the end of the tax year, so the two can differ in practice. Check which applies to you.
For businesses, the CRA keeping-records page says records are "all of your accounting and other financial information documents" and that they must be kept organized.
What the CRA pages say about electronic records
The CRA business page says records can be kept on paper, electronically, or both. The circular says that anyone who keeps records electronically must retain them in an electronically readable format for the full retention period, and that a printed copy does not replace the electronic records. It also refers to keeping proper backups.
The pages read for this article do not mention bank statements by name, so this article does not claim that the CRA requires them, or that any particular statement format is accepted.
How a spreadsheet can help you keep statements organised
If you keep bank statements as support for income or expenses, a PDF is hard to search across months. Converting the statement into rows and columns lets you sort, filter and total. The spreadsheet is a working aid. It does not replace the original statement, and nothing on the CRA pages says a spreadsheet meets any record-keeping requirement.
A made-up example layout:
Date Description Amount Source file Note
2026-03-02 Deposit - client A +1,200.00 mar-2026-chequing.pdf Income
2026-03-10 Office supplies -64.30 mar-2026-chequing.pdf Expense
2026-03-18 Phone plan -55.00 mar-2026-chequing.pdf ExpenseA column naming the source file lets you trace any row back to its statement. Compare the total of your converted rows with the opening and closing balances on the statement before relying on it, and keep the original files for the period the CRA pages describe. PDFtoRow can do the conversion step.
Convert Bank Statement PDFs Cleanly with PDFtoRow
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Frequently Asked Questions
The CRA page for individuals says to keep all receipts and documents for at least six years after you file your return. Information Circular IC78-10 gives a general minimum of six years from the end of the last tax year the records relate to.
The CRA keeping-records page says records can be kept on paper, electronically, or both. The circular says electronic records must be kept in an electronically readable format for the full retention period.
The pages read for this article do not mention bank statements by name. They refer more generally to receipts, documents and financial information.
Primary Evidence & Official References
- What documents do you include with your return and what records do you keep — canada.ca (Verified 2026-10-29). Official source documentation →
- Information Circular IC78-10: Books and records retention/destruction — canada.ca (Verified 2026-10-29). Official source documentation →
- Keeping records (businesses) — canada.ca (Verified 2026-10-29). Official source documentation →