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Last month I wrote about two reports from the Auditor General: one examining the federal government’s child care program and another looking at how the Canada Revenue Agency’s (CRA) contact centres are serving Canadians. The child care report confirmed that fees have come down for many families, while cautioning that better national reporting and planning are needed to meet space‑creation goals. The CRA report focused squarely on service: how long people wait, and whether the information provided is accurate.

On the CRA file, the Auditor General found that in 2024–25 the agency’s standard was to answer 65 percent of calls within 15 minutes. In reality, only 18 percent of callers reached an agent within that timeframe, and in June 2025 performance fell to 5 percent. Callers who chose to wait to speak with an agent spent about 31 minutes on hold, nearly double the previous year. The audit team also placed 167 test calls and reported very low accuracy on general questions: roughly 17 percent for individual‑tax inquiries and just over 54 percent for business tax or general benefits.

For context, public reporting shows the CRA employed just over 40,000 people in 2015 and about 52,500 in 2025—an increase of more than 30 percent across the decade, with some recent reductions in term positions as the agency adjusted after the pandemic.

Back in September, the government announced a 100‑day Service Improvement Plan aimed at raising answer rates and expanding self‑service options by December 11, 2025. As that date has now passed, I continue to hear from many constituents who are still experiencing long waits and difficulty resolving files.

One point I should underline is that your local Member of Parliament can help if you are having trouble reaching or working with the CRA. Constituency offices are non‑partisan and designed to assist you in navigating federal departments and agencies. My team can escalate urgent cases, coordinate the consent forms CRA requires, and follow up until there is a clear answer. We do not have operational authority to demand outcomes, as the CRA operates as a statutory agency that functions independently from day‑to‑day political direction. Ultimately, if a taxpayer is unsatisfied with a decision, they can contest it in tax court—a process that is often expensive and stressful, making it out of reach for most taxpayers.

There is also the Office of the Taxpayers’ Ombudsperson, which hears complaints under the Taxpayer Bill of Rights—a set of service-related principles—and can analyze and make recommendations to the CRA on how its systems can be improved from an average taxpayer’s viewpoint.

Real-world examples show why oversight matters. Parliament decides what becomes or remains law, so it’s important for MPs to hear directly from Canadians about how the CRA is performing. A few years ago, I was reviewing a budget implementation act and worked with opposition parties to reverse a legislative change that would have denied adults with Type 1 diabetes continued access to the Disability Tax Credit and, by extension, the Registered Disability Savings Plans their families had set up. That change mattered because it protected benefits Canadians were entitled to under the law. I was able to act on this based on my experience with constituents and their families who were struggling to maintain their disability tax credit, despite no change to their diagnosis or treatment. Had I not heard from them firsthand, I would not have known of the issue and may not have pushed for this change.

If you are having issues with CRA such as the above, perhaps your local MP can help. While we are limited to serving only those who live in our constituency—a CRA requirement to have one point of contact—I have a constituency office at the West Kelowna City Hall (#101‑3731 Old Okanagan Highway) and now in Kelowna (#303–3001 Tutt Street) and can be reached at the contact information below.

Liberal MP Stephen Fuhr has an office at 306‑890 Clement Avenue in Kelowna, and Penticton‑area MP Helena Konanz has an office at 101‑196 Wade Avenue West in Penticton.

All of these offices have staff ready to assist, and I encourage you to reach out if you are having difficulty communicating with the CRA.

As my team and I use the end of year to review what works and what needs improving, this leads to two questions for you this week: Have you ever reached out to the office of either an MLA or MP for assistance on a matter dealing with the Provincial or Federal government? Did you find it helpful? Your feedback helps us improve how we serve you.

You can join the discussion on my Facebook Page or reach me directly at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) or call toll‑free 1‑800‑665‑8711.

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Dan Albas is the Member of Parliament for the riding of Okanagan Lake West - South Kelowna, Shadow Minister for Transport and the Vice Chair of the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, Dan's riding includes the communities of Kelowna (Mission, South Kelowna & East Kelowna within specific boundaries), West Kelowna, Peachland, Summerland.
You can reach Dan by calling 1-800-665-8711, emailing [email protected] or please visit: DanAlbasMP.ca
Our mailing address is:
Dan Albas MP
101-3731 Old Okanagan Hwy
West Kelowna, British Columbia V4T 0G7
Canada

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