Canada’s tax agency says things are finally looking up when it comes to customer service. After months of complaints, long wait times, and a critical auditor general’s report, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) claims its 100-day improvement plan has made a real impact. The number of callers getting through to agents has more than doubled—from just 35% in the summer to over 70% now.
That sounds like progress, right? It is. But CRA officials are clear: you’ll never get 100% call coverage. With over 30 million calls a year, they say it’s just not realistic.
Progress
The CRA’s 100-day plan was designed to fix urgent issues. It focused on getting more agents on the phone, reducing wait times, and modernizing services. Melanie Serjak, an assistant commissioner at the CRA, says the plan was about both quick fixes and long-term improvements.
At one point this fall, the call answer rate hit 92%. That’s a huge leap from where it was in the summer. But Serjak says 70% is the number they’re aiming to maintain going forward. And not everyone will get through.
Limits
Even with the gains, the CRA is warning Canadians not to expect perfection. “We will never be in a position to answer 100 per cent of the phone calls,” Serjak said in a press conference. She explained that with over 30 million calls coming in each year, some calls will always go unanswered.
Call volumes spike especially hard around tax season. The CRA can receive as many as 300,000 calls in a single day during peak times. That’s part of why they’ve already brought back 1,250 call centre agents—and are planning to hire 1,700 more before filing season kicks off.
Staffing
To improve service, the CRA is bringing in more help—but these are contract positions, not permanent jobs. The government has mandated all departments, including the CRA, to cut costs by 15% over the next three years. That means hiring has to stay lean and flexible.
Because the CRA’s workload fluctuates throughout the year, Serjak says staff can be moved into call centre roles during high-demand periods. This flexible staffing approach allows the agency to manage spikes without making permanent hires.
Failures
This improvement push came after the Auditor General released a blistering report in October. It found that wait times were far too long and that CRA agents often gave out inaccurate information. Worse still, the report revealed that only 17% of general individual tax questions were answered correctly.
Another eyebrow-raising discovery? The CRA’s contract with IBM Canada to provide call centre infrastructure ballooned from $50 million to $217 million.
The CRA pushed back on the accuracy criticism, saying the audit only looked at general questions. According to Serjak, most calls are about personal tax files—and internal reviews show a 90% accuracy rate on those. Still, she admits changes are needed and says the CRA is revamping how it evaluates agent performance.
Tools
It’s not just about more people on the phones. The CRA has also added new tools to help people get answers without ever having to call.
Let’s take a look:
| Tool or Feature | What It Does | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Online Reset | Lets users recover CRA login info on their own | Avoids 300,000 calls a year |
| Payment Scheduler | Lets you set up payment plans online | Fewer calls for payment help |
| GenAI Chatbot | Improved AI that answers more questions | Usage up 240% from last year |
| Scheduled Callbacks | Book a callback instead of waiting on hold | Used by over 59,000 Canadians |
Benefits
Service improvements haven’t stopped with calls. The CRA has also trimmed wait times for benefit applications, which means fewer people calling in for updates.
For example:
- Canada Child Benefit processing now takes 13 weeks, down from 19.
- Disability Tax Credit processing time dropped to 11 weeks, down from 15.
These improvements help reduce call volume by cutting the number of follow-up calls people need to make.
Future
While the CRA says it has no immediate plans for job cuts, it’s not making long-term promises either. Officials couldn’t say whether cuts will come after January. Budget 2025 includes a comprehensive expenditure review, and decisions are still being made.
Serjak says the agency is continuing to make improvements as the next tax season approaches. But even with more staff and better tools, she warns that there will still be moments when they can’t meet that 70% goal.
So, while things are looking better, it’s far from mission accomplished. The CRA is building a more reliable system—but you may still need some patience when tax season hits.
FAQs
Did CRA fix its call centre problems?
Partly. Call response rose from 35% to over 70%.
Will CRA ever answer all calls?
No. CRA says 100% call response isn’t realistic.
Why is CRA hiring 1,700 more agents?
To handle the surge in calls during tax season.
Is CRA’s chatbot better now?
Yes, it’s improved and usage is up 240%.
Are CRA agent jobs permanent?
No, most are temporary contracts for peak season.
