Multiple new laws, rules, and tax deadlines are coming up next month that will affect beer producers, property owners, and community events across the province. From expanded "Bring-Your-Own" alcoholic beverage event permits to important occupancy status declarations, there are a few important dates you should mark on your calendar. Here are the new laws and rules coming to Ontario in April 2026. Personal income tax deadline With tax season now in full swing, you still have a few weeks to file your taxes before potentially being charged interest and late penalties. The deadline to file and pay your taxes this year falls on April 30, 2026, and if you fail to submit these on time, you could potentially face disruptions to your benefit and credit payments, including GST/HST credit, the Canada child benefit (CCB), as well as Old Age Security (OAS) benefits. If you're self-employed, and if you or your spouse or common-law partner ran a business in 2025, your tax return is also due by April 30, 2026, if your business expenses mostly relate to a tax shelter investment. However, if your expenses are mostly not for a tax shelter, your return is due by June 15, 2026. Still, if you do owe any taxes for 2025, you must pay them by April 30, 2026. Beer excise duty adjustment Beer excise duty changes are set to affect producers and potentially consumers across the country next month. Under the Excise Act, the federal excise duty on beer (which includes malt liquor) is adjusted every April 1 based on changes to the Consumer Price Index. Starting April 1, 2026, the increase is about two per cent, as the government capped the inflation adjustment. Regular-strength beer with more than 2.5 per cent alcohol will see the duty rise to $37.69 per hectolitre, which is up from the previous rate of $36.95. Lower excise rates will continue to apply to the first 75,000 hectolitres produced by a domestic brewery each year. However, opponents of the rate increase have argued that the changes add to rising costs for breweries, including for ingredients and labour, and as a result, could translate to slightly higher beer prices for consumers. Vacant Home Tax If you're a property owner in Toronto, make sure to mark April 30 on your calendar, because it's the last day you can declare your home's 2025 occupancy status . According to the City, the program, which requires homeowners to declare if their property is occupied or vacant every year, aims to "increase the supply of housing by encouraging owners of vacant residential properties to sell them or rent them out." Property owners who keep their homes vacant are subject to a tax, and the revenue collected from the program is allocated to affordable housing initiatives. If you haven't made your declaration yet, you'll need your customer number plus the address or 21-digit assessment roll number from your property tax bill, property tax account statement, or Vacant Home Tax notice. Those who are subject to the tax will be issued a Vacant Home Tax Notice in May 2026, with payments due in three equal installments on Sept. 15, Oct. 15, and Nov. 16. The tax applies to residential properties that were vacant for six months or more during the taxation year, or to owners who fail to make a declaration of occupancy status by the deadline. "Bring-Your-Own" alcoholic beverages This past week, the Ontario government announced that it's expanding "bring-your-own" event permits for municipally designated cultural or community outdoor public events, including art exhibits, neighbourhood festivals, movie screenings, and farmers' markets. The updated regulations will allow you to bring your own alcohol for consumption in designated areas at these events. Still, municipalities will be required to pass a bylaw authorizing the use of alcohol in public (if not already in place), and "establish a local process that would determine whether an event qualifies as community or cultural." Beginning April 30, 2026, organizers in eligible municipalities will be able to apply for the permits through the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) . Prior to this change, only organizers of live sporting events were able to obtain this type of permit.