In a scathing report unveiled on Tuesday, the auditor general disclosed that Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) contact centers are consistently falling short in promptly answering calls, and when connections are made, the information provided by agents is often inaccurate.
Despite the CRA’s commitment to answering 65% of calls within 15 minutes, a goal already reduced from previous levels, the auditor general Karen Hogan revealed that only 18% of calls met this target in 2024-25. The situation worsened in June, with less than 5% of calls answered within the stipulated 15-minute timeframe.
To evaluate the agency’s response time, the AG’s office conducted 167 test calls to the CRA between February and May, revealing an average wait time of nearly 33 minutes to reach an agent. The overall time spent on hold and with an agent amounted to approximately 50 minutes for analysts seeking answers.
The CRA’s internal data mirrors these findings, indicating an average wait time of 31 minutes to reach an agent, double the previous year’s duration. This decline in service standards is evident as the number of deflected calls increased to 8.6 million last year, compared to 1.4 million deflected calls the year before.
Customer complaints regarding the CRA have surged, with a 145% rise between 2021-22 and 2024-25, despite the agency reporting a 77% satisfaction rate among surveyed callers. The AG’s recommendation urges the CRA to develop a more efficient system for handling calls related to issues with their online portal, MyAccount, particularly those concerning account lockouts that tie up agents.
Furthermore, the auditor general highlighted significant inaccuracies in the information provided by CRA agents, particularly concerning general tax inquiries. Only 17% of responses to non-account-specific or general tax questions were accurate, reflecting a concerning trend. The accuracy rates for benefit and business tax inquiries were marginally better at 56% and 54%, respectively.
Regarding the inaccuracies, the AG noted that the CRA’s AI tool, Charlie, provided correct responses only 33% of the time. The report also highlighted the limited efforts by the CRA to enhance accuracy, with a mere 2,200 hours dedicated to coaching, feedback, or training in 2024-25, averaging less than 30 minutes per agent annually.
In response to these findings, Liberal MP Wayne Long, the secretary of state for the CRA, acknowledged the issues and mentioned the implementation of a 100-day service improvement plan in September. The plan includes hiring additional staff and aims to address the call volume, although the focus is on answering calls rather than meeting specific timeframes. Long emphasized the importance of holding leadership accountable and striving for better results.
The auditor general’s report also covered other areas such as military recruitment, early learning programs, cyber security, and First Nations initiatives, highlighting challenges faced by the Canadian Armed Forces in converting applicants into recruits and addressing housing issues within the military. Additionally, the report assessed the progress made by Indigenous Services Canada in resolving long-term drinking water advisories and the federal government’s child care program.
Overall, the report underscores the need for significant improvements in various government sectors to enhance service delivery and address critical issues affecting Canadians.
