The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has come under scrutiny following a recent report from Canada’s Auditor General. The report revealed that the CRA provided accurate responses to only 17% of individual tax inquiries made by callers between February and May 2025. This raises significant concerns about the reliability of the agency’s customer service.
Findings from the Auditor General’s Report
Auditor General Karen Hogan’s office conducted an analysis by placing calls to CRA contact centres, specifically targeting general taxation queries. Here are the key findings from the report:
- Individual Tax Queries: Only 17% of responses were accurate.
- Business Tax and Benefits Queries: Accuracy improved significantly to 54%.
- Completeness of Responses: Just over 30% for business inquiries, highlighting further issues.
- Call Response Times: Only 18% of calls were answered within the CRA’s standard of 15 minutes; average wait time was 31 minutes.
Concerns Raised
Hogan expressed concerns about the CRA’s commitment to providing timely and accurate information. According to Hogan, the agency appears more focused on managing employee schedules rather than ensuring the accuracy of the information given to callers. This is troubling for many Canadians who rely on the CRA to access essential tax information.
Reactions from Stakeholders
In response to the findings, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation criticized the complexity of the Income Tax Act. Franco Terrazzano, the federal director of the federation, argued that the complicated nature of tax rules is part of the problem. He stated, “Hiring more bureaucrats to give even more wrong answers won’t actually fix the problem.”
Tax-Filer Empowerment Canada, a group representing tax preparation firms, echoed similar concerns. They emphasized that the CRA’s efficiency is failing to meet the basic expectations of Canadian taxpayers.
CRA’s Action Plan
In light of the criticism, Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced a 100-day plan for the CRA to rectify the call centre delays, with a deadline set for December 11. The CRA aims to improve call response rates to at least 70% by mid-October.
- The agency extended contracts for approximately 850 call centre agents.
- CRA is exploring the use of artificial intelligence to enhance service quality.
- Online chat support hours are being increased, and an AI chatbot is being piloted to assist with non-account-specific questions.
Melanie Serjak, an assistant commissioner at the CRA, indicated that improvements have already started showing positive results. Speaking to reporters, Champagne stated that the government is committed to enhancing services and utilizing technology to meet the needs of Canadians.
Conclusion
The Auditor General’s recent report signifies a critical turning point for the CRA. With the call centre’s accuracy and responsiveness under question, immediate action is essential to restore public confidence. Ongoing efforts to leverage technology and streamline operations will be vital in reshaping the CRA’s service framework for the future.
