The Canadian government is actively developing a comprehensive strategy to tackle issues within the Canada Revenue Agency as it nears the completion of its 100-day initiative aimed at enhancing service quality. Wayne Long, the secretary of state responsible for the Canada Revenue Agency and financial institutions, disclosed during a session with the House of Commons public accounts committee that a long-term plan spanning three to five years is in progress for the agency, expressing confidence in the current direction.
Long characterized the 100-day plan, which primarily focused on resolving call center delays, as a temporary measure and emphasized the ongoing commitment to enhancing services beyond the imminent conclusion of this initiative.
An evaluation conducted by the office of Auditor General Karen Hogan following four months of contacting the CRA’s contact centers this year revealed that only 17 percent of individual tax inquiries were accurately addressed by staff. In response to the findings, Melanie Serjak, an assistant commissioner at the CRA, informed members of parliament that the agency is preparing to implement a more advanced and standardized training regimen and integrate artificial intelligence to enhance the accuracy of advice provided by CRA representatives to the public.
Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne set a deadline of December 11 for the CRA to rectify call center delays, marking the 100-day timeline initiated on September 2.