The Union of Taxation Employees (UTE) acknowledges yesterday's update from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) on the 100-Day Service Improvement Plan and the measures announced to reduce wait times and improve access to services as we head into tax filing season.
For the past two years, our union has been denouncing the massive cuts to the CRA and their devastating impact on access and quality of services to the public as well as on the working conditions of our members. At the end of August, we launched the Canada on Hold campaign to demand an end to the cuts and reinvestment in staff, particularly in call centres. To say that this campaign was successful would be an understatement. Indeed, this campaign has succeeded in mobilizing our members but also the Canadian public and businesses. The media was very receptive and talked about it extensively.
This mobilization led to several important measures. First, the contracts of 850 agents working in call centers have been extended. Next, the Minister of Finance, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, announced the launch of the 100-Day Service Improvement Plan. Our union welcomed this announcement. Shortly thereafter, the Agency decided to rehire 400 call centre agents and about 100 collections’ officers.
Since then, we have held multiple consultation meetings with the CRA's senior management and respectful and constructive exchanges with Minister Champagne and the Secretary of State, the Honourable Wayne Long.
In its update on its improvement plan, the CRA reports reduced wait times, improved service standards, and the integration of new technologies into its processes, while providing more user-friendly services. The CRA also announced that it has extended the contracts of 1,250 call centre workers until September 2026. In addition, the CRA is announcing the hiring of approximately 1,700 additional call centre agents in preparation for the next tax filing season. It also hired hundreds of additional collections’ officers following the tabling of Minister Champagne's budget. And the CRA is announcing other measures to continue to improve services to the population and businesses.
UTE welcomes all of these measures. This is very good news. Indeed, it is a good start and a step in the right direction. We note that our main concerns have been heard.
However, these measures are insufficient to restore service standards to an adequate level that the public and businesses have a right to expect, which is what the CRA did previously. That's why our union is calling on the CRA to reinstate in-person service counters. These counters are essential to support the most vulnerable, process complex cases and support small and medium-sized businesses that cannot always rely on a telephone or digital service. It should be remembered that at the time when these counters were in effect, the problems observed today were much less present.
In addition, we are urging the CRA to add resources in its tax centres and other areas to reduce processing times for taxpayer files.
Finally, the CRA needs to provide more permanent jobs and strengthen the training offered to its employees in order to be able to attract and retain motivated individuals who are eager to have an interesting and successful career with the Agency.
Our members are dedicated and proud of the work they do. If the CRA provides them with the right resources and tools, they will provide the timely, accurate and reliable service that the public deserves.
In Solidarity,
Marc Brière
National President
Union of Taxation Employees