Canada-based Nigerian pastor and social commentator, Temmy Omoileri, has recounted her ordeal with a Canada tax audit, saying she has now been cleared by the Canada Revenue Services (CRS) after months of investigation into her donations to her church. She disclosed this in a detailed post on her X (formerly Twitter) account, where she explained how the audit began and the documents she was asked to provide.
Omoileri, who pastors a Canada-registered ministry, Bethel Chapel Vancouver, said the audit began after she filed her 2024 tax receipts, which showed that she donated 25,000 Canadian dollars to her church and later received a refund of 7,000 dollars. According to her, tax authorities became curious about the size of the donation, especially because she is both the pastor and a director of the ministry.
She explained that she initially submitted her tax receipts to justify the donation, but the authorities demanded more proof. “I sent the tax receipts but it wasn’t enough proof. I sent my bank statements for the whole year 2024 and it wasn’t enough,” she wrote.
The pastor added that the CRS eventually requested the ministry’s bank statements to confirm the inflow of funds from her personal account. She said the authorities wanted to be certain that the donation was real, legitimate, and properly documented, given her position as a director of the organisation.
“This case started since August this year,” she said. “I called them and they explained that it is because I’m one of the directors of the church. I explained to them that I’m the pastor and proceeds from my home rental income is what I send to the church account to support the rental payment of the church. I include my rental incomes in my taxes each year.”
Omoileri noted that she believes the size of the donation may have triggered extra scrutiny, especially because she is a widow. She said the authorities wanted to ensure that the funds were not misrepresented or used as a loophole in the charity system, which Canada regulates strictly.
She added that on her birthday, she received an email from the tax office confirming that the case had been resolved in her favour. “I am so happy I’m cleared off the case,” she wrote, expressing relief after months of what she described as “high accountability and responsibilities” tied to managing a charity organisation abroad.
The pastor used the incident to highlight the level of transparency required of churches and ministries in Canada. She cautioned individuals who intend to go into ministry abroad for financial gain, saying that charity status in countries like Canada comes with strict oversight. “If your aim is to make merchandise of the gospel, kindly know that it works differently here,” she said.
Omoileri also reflected on her personal commitment to her faith, saying her donations to churches have always exceeded her personal spending. She said she gave her life fully to Christ in Canada and considers serving in ministry an authentic expression of her Christian calling.
Her post has drawn attention across social media platforms, with many users reacting to the transparency of the investigation and the pastor’s experience with Canada’s charity regulations.
