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Finance Minister Orders 100-Day Fix for CRA Call Centres

The 100-day push relies on staff reallocation, a call-scheduling pilot plus expanded digital services, with no additional funding.

Overview

  • François-Philippe Champagne set a 100-day timeline for the Canada Revenue Agency to cut call-centre delays and improve access.
  • The directive calls for reallocating or adding personnel, testing a call-scheduling system and expanding digital options for taxpayers.
  • Champagne’s office confirmed there will be no short-term funding boost, as the plan proceeds during a government spending review targeting roughly 15% savings over three years.
  • The CRA recently extended about 850 call-centre contracts that were due to lapse, following months of service complaints and staffing reductions.
  • The Taxpayers’ Ombudsperson reported a surge in complaints and roughly 120-day case-assignment delays, and today welcomed the move toward a scheduling system previously recommended.