The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) is under renewed scrutiny for long call centre wait times and declining service levels. Amid growing concerns in recent weeks from taxpayers and union leaders, the federal government has directed the agency to deliver a “100-day plan” aimed at improving customer service and reducing delays.
In a statement on X posted September 2, Minister of Finance and National Revenue, François-Philippe Champagne, wrote that the current levels of service delay experienced by Canadians are unacceptable.
“Canadians expect and deserve reliable and timely service from the Canada Revenue Agency”, wrote Champagne in his letter to the Chair of the Standing Committee on Finance. “Despite the dedication of hardworking CRA employees, it is increasingly apparent that the Agency is not meeting that standard.”
Union says that call center job cuts are to blame
In recent months, Canadians have been reporting new levels of frustration in their attempts to reach CRA agents by phone, as reported by CBC.
The Canada On Hold campaign, launched last month by the Public Service Alliance of Canada and the Union of Taxation Employees, has pointed to reduced staffing levels and high call volumes as major contributors to the problem. According to the unions, nearly 3,300 call centre workers have lost their jobs since May 2024, with only 4.7% of callers able to reach a live agent via phone. Wait times are said to have hit 3.5 hours and beyond.
Canada On Hold highlights the difficulties that long waits and dropped calls can have on Canadians, noting that this will disproportionately affect seniors, small business owners and those without reliable internet access. For these groups, phone support is often the only viable option.
The Taxpayers’ Ombudsperson, François Boileau, has also noted the increasing lack of service from CRA call centres.
“Recently, a new surge in complaints to our Office as well as current media coverage have made it clear that the public is frustrated and disappointed with the level of service they have been receiving from the CRA, especially related to its contact centres,” Boileau said in a statement.
“I look forward to meeting with the Minister and the Secretary of State to discuss this plan in greater detail and to advocate for improved service for the public.”
Will government directive lead to more CRA resources?
The new directive requires the CRA to outline, within 100 days, concrete steps to improve its call centre operations and overall service standards.
While details have not yet been released, the expectation is that the agency will work to restore staffing capacity, modernize its systems and implement a call-back system similar to that operated by Service Canada.
Speaking to CBC, CRA spokesperson Etienne Biram agreed that the agency has "been falling short of Canadians’ expectations."
Specifically, Biram told CBC that the CRA plans to reallocate and add resources to ensure more calls are answered, as well as pilot new scheduling tools such as the agency’s AI-enabled chat bot.
However the CRA’s 100-day plan pans out, Ottawa is signaling that call centre performance is now a top priority. Whether the CRA can meet that standard remains to be seen.
Sources
1. X: Canadians deserve reliable service, and the current difficulties at Canada Revenue Agency call centres are unacceptable. I’ve therefore directed the Agency to implement a 100-day action plan (September 2, 2025)
2. CBC News: Ottawa tells CRA to fix its call centre problem so more Canadians can reach an agent, by Sophia Harris (September 2, 2025)
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