I've been battling the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) for years, and it's been an incredibly futile and frustrating experience. It's almost impossible to get through to them and if you do manage to get past the automated answering system, the wait times to speak to an advisor are often 2 to 3 hours, or more. The system often cuts us off inexplicably while we're waiting meaning we have to call back and start all over again. If you are fortunate enough to actually get through to a real person, it is almost inevitable you will be no closer to resolving your issue due to poorly trained staff and a complete lack of information.

The CRA's inefficiencies and lack of timely support have caused unnecessary stress and financial strain for countless Canadians. According to a 2022 report by the Office of the Auditor General, nearly 30% of calls to the CRA go unanswered, leaving many without crucial assistance.

The Tax Ombudsman reported a 70% increase in the number of complaints it received about the CRA in 2022, many of which were "related to excessive wait times, receiving conflicting or inconsistent information, or calls being dropped prematurely." Additionally, the Ombudsman states, "Delays in processing income tax and benefit returns and adjustment requests have generated complaints to our Office for many years". Clearly, none of these issues have been resolved, if anything, they have become worse.

It's time for change. We need a mandate that ensures the CRA provides better service to all Canadians. Our tax dollars fund the CRA and in return we get an abysmal level of service for our money. We should not have to spend a good portion of our day waiting on the phone for a service that, inevitably, is of little use to us. Sign this petition to demand improved efficiency, responsiveness, and accountability from our revenue agency!