The CRA needs to give Canadians ‘relevant, clear' information: watchdog
The Canada Revenue Agency needs to do a better job at making sure the information it gives Canadian tax filers is 'relevant, clear, concise and easy to find,' a new watchdog report says.
That comes after Canadian taxpayers filing with the agency have reported various issues over the most recent tax season, and after years of ongoing reports probing service times and ways to improve how the tax agency interacts with Canadians.
The fifth and final annual report by Canada's Taxpayers' Ombudsperson François Boileau was tabled Friday in the House of Commons, and focused on the period between April 1 of last year, to March 31 of 2025.
Boileau's five-year mandate is scheduled to conclude in 2025.
The ombudsperson made a total of 16 recommendations over the course of the last fiscal year in two previous reports, of which the CRA has accepted 13.
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Of the recommendations, the ombudsperson says the CRA should 'perform a comprehensive review of its content on Canada.ca,' adding that the architecture and content it provides on the website for visitors contained 'redundant information.'
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It also needs to provide information that is more 'relevant, clear, concise and easy to find,' the report said.
Some of the most common issues reported by taxpayers as a 'trend' by the ombudsperson included the CRA's call centres.
The report details how many taxpayers were unable to reach an agent at the CRA for help due to long wait times or disconnections. In cases when they could get through, some taxpayers reported being provided with information that was 'incomplete, inaccurate, or unclear.'
The CRA has been cutting staff throughout the past year as it looks to lower its operating costs, with the agency adding in the most recent round of cuts that 'it is likely that some internal services will be impacted, with some services being eliminated entirely.'
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Another common complaint the Ombudsperson highlighted in the report focused on how the CRA, when collecting taxes, needs to better take into account the potential 'financial hardships' that may result for Canadians with certain 'personal circumstances,' the report said.
In closing his presentation in the House of Commons, Boileau said he was 'aware' of the CRA's cost-cutting measures, which involve shedding some jobs, and that the Office of the Ombudsperson would continue to monitor the situation closely.
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