Ottawa tells CRA to fix its call centre problem so more Canadians can reach an agent

The Canadian government has taken action to address the ongoing issues with the Canada Revenue Agency’s (CRA) call centres. After reports of Canadians struggling to reach a CRA agent for tax-related matters, the federal government has instructed the CRA to devise a 100-day plan to improve service at its call centres.

In a letter sent to the Chair of the standing committee on finance, Minister of National Revenue François-Philippe Champagne acknowledged the frustration felt by Canadians and stated that the current service delays and access challenges are unacceptable. The CRA has been directed to take concrete steps to address the problem, including reallocating and adding personnel, piloting a new call-scheduling system, and expanding digital services.

The Union of Taxation Employees, which represents CRA workers, has attributed the call centre problems to job cuts, with nearly 3,300 call centre employees losing their jobs since May 2024. Despite conflicting data on the percentage of callers reaching an agent, both Champagne and the union agree that the call centre issue needs to be resolved.

The union has launched a social campaign to raise awareness about the problem and has met with CRA officials to discuss potential solutions. While pleased that the government is taking steps to improve the situation, the union’s national president, Marc Brière, emphasizes the need for additional funding to hire more call centre employees.

Moving forward, Brière and the union will continue to advocate for reinvestment and additional staff in other areas of the CRA where service has been compromised due to job cuts. They are committed to working with the government and the CRA to find solutions and ensure that Canadians receive the support they need when dealing with their taxes.