Let me try to play the role of the VO, looking for incontrovertible proof of time spent in Canada. Evidence produced by a third party is more persuasive than the evidence the PR applicant can produce, obviously.
Toby, I didn't think of this myself; I think I got the idea from a post in this folder! The Excel document is just to help me keep track of travel dates and whether or not I was traveling with my citizen sponsor.
Good idea; I do the same; it is not evidence, but will help a VO understand the mass of documentation, and reach a positive conclusion about your time spent in Canada. A bottle of Scotch might do the same, but is not allowed.
I have kept some (but not all) of my boarding passes but they don't have a year on them...only month and day. In your Excel guide, you could correlate the boarding passes with passport stamps, which do have the year, and no reasonable VO would have doubts.
I have printed some itineraries (like from Travelocity) as well, and I have my passport stamps. I wouldn't bother with the itineraries; anyone can produce these, ad they will add unnecessary bulk to your renewal application.
Mostly what I am keeping is proof that I am living (but not yet working) here, not proof that I was out of the country. Right. So in a file I have a copy of our lease Good. And maybe a certified letter from the landlord that you actually live in the place. (our utilities are included in rent so I don't have those, but you might), bank and credit card statements (I am told these are not convincing, since any transaction can be done from outside the country., cell phone bills, (very good evidence, since they show calls made from within Canada) medical records (if you mean dated visits to the doctor, great.), and I will keep tax returns (not so useful; can be submitted from outside Canada, and if they don't show income from in-Canada employment, they don't show time spent in Canada) . I attended school so I have payment receipts, report card copies, documentation of a work internship. This is excellent evidence, and I doubt you'll need anything additional.
I would love to know what others are keeping in terms of documentation.
Allison