Canada’s taxpayers’ ombudsperson has initiated a probe into the handling of complaints by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) due to worries about fairness and promptness. Ombud François Boileau revealed this move on Tuesday following an initial assessment that indicated confusion among taxpayers regarding where to address their concerns, resulting in varying response times for assistance. Boileau emphasized that as a federal entity, the CRA is expected to provide excellent service to the public.
The investigation was prompted by concerns raised in a recent report by the federal auditor general criticizing CRA contact centers for inadequate call response times. Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne had previously given the CRA a 100-day timeframe to address these delays, which concluded in December after improvements were made as part of the action plan.
Despite the government’s assertion that the 100-day initiative enhanced service delivery, there is ongoing work to address long-term service delay issues at the CRA. Wayne Long, the secretary of state for the Canada Revenue Agency and financial institutions, acknowledged the need for sustained improvements. When queried about the status of the new plan, Champagne’s office referred inquiries to the CRA, which has yet to provide an update.