Is the CRA doing a good enough job? The agency wants to hear from you

globalnews.ca:

The Canada Revenue Agency wants to hear from Canadian taxpayers on how it can improve its services and “do better.”

CRA launched public consultations on Wednesday, calling on individuals, non-professional representatives, and tax intermediaries to give feedback on the agency’s programs and services.

Canadians have until Dec. 2 to give their input by filling out an online questionnaire that includes approximately 18 questions.

The federal tax agency wants feedback on service experience, improvements and future direction.

“We know there are challenges that need to be addressed to better serve Canadians and we are implementing a number of initiatives to improve their experience,” said National Revenue Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau in a statement.

In addition to the online form, CRA also plans to hold via invite in-person and virtual consultation sessions.

CRA says the aim of such consultations is to “deliver seamless experiences and tailored interactions that are digital first.”

“We know we have work to do, and this is why we need your honest feedback,” CRA said. “We are listening, learning and challenging ourselves to do better.”

This is not the first time that the agency has sought public feedback.

CRA said such previous consultations have helped in making several service improvements.

In August, CRA expanded its contact centre hours.

The change was implemented after a request from the taxpayers’ ombudsperson to prevent callers from getting blocked when they tried to reach the CRA’s contact centre during its regular service hours.

Taxpayers’ ombudsperson François Boileau said in a statement on Aug. 20 that his office was “keeping a close eye” on how to better address CRA call volumes.

“We are aware that these contact