CRA on course to hit call center targets by deadline

Officials at the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) have announced that the agency has exceeded its call-answering targets ahead of schedule. On September 2, Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne set a deadline of December 11 for the CRA to improve its call center operations. The agency aimed to respond to at least 70 percent of calls by mid-October, a goal that was achieved early, according to CRA officials.
CRA Surpasses Call Center Targets
Between September 29 and October 3, the CRA reported that its call centers successfully answered 77 percent of incoming calls. This marks a significant improvement from a mere 35 percent call response rate recorded between June 30 and July 4.
Steps Taken for Improvement
In response to call center delays, the CRA has stated it will take immediate and effective actions to enhance services by the December deadline. Initiatives include:
- Extending the hours for its online chat service.
- Increasing the number of inquiries that its artificial intelligence chatbot can successfully address.
Maxime Guenette, an assistant commissioner and chief service officer at the CRA, noted that they continue to inform the Finance Minister about the progress of these initiatives. He emphasized that the agency’s efforts will extend beyond the 100-day timeline.
Addressing Service Delays
The CRA’s website highlights ongoing work to tackle the foundational issues contributing to service delays, such as:
- Backlogs in tax adjustments.
- Pending applications.
- Tax credit inquiries.
To combat these challenges, the CRA is utilizing callback requests and robotic process automation. They have also extended the contracts for approximately 850 call center agents and rehired several hundred more personnel. However, Serjak stated that no new hiring is anticipated currently as the CRA operates within a fixed budget.
Union Response
The push for enhanced call center performance follows Minister Champagne’s request in July for various departments to achieve a 15 percent budget cut over three years. The Union of Taxation Employees highlighted that nearly 10,000 positions have been eliminated since May 2024, including around 3,300 in call center roles. Marc Brière, the union’s national president, acknowledged the CRA’s attempts to improve services and rehire staff, but he cautioned that the situation could worsen without more personnel being added.
As the CRA works diligently toward achieving its call center targets, officials remain committed to resolving the issues affecting service delivery well into the future.