CRA Call Answer Rate Doubles – What’s Changing Before Tax Season

If you’ve ever waited endlessly on hold with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), there may be good news just in time for tax season. The CRA says it’s made significant progress with its call centre performance, thanks to its 100-day Service Improvement Plan launched earlier this year — and now, more Canadians are finally getting through.

Progress

The CRA’s call centre issues aren’t new. Frustrated taxpayers have long complained about delays, hang-ups, and robotic “call back later” messages. But in September, Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne stepped in with a directive: fix it. That’s when the CRA kicked off its 100-day plan.

Now, the CRA claims it has more than doubled its ability to answer calls. Where previously only 35% of unique calls were answered, the number has shot past 70%. At peak performance, they even managed to answer 92% of calls — a massive turnaround from previous years.

So, what changed?

Hiring

A big part of the improvement comes down to people. The CRA rehired or extended the contracts of about 1,250 employees to help handle the rush of incoming calls. That gave the agency much-needed breathing room heading into the busy tax season.

And it’s not stopping there — the CRA says more temporary agents are being brought in to meet the surge in demand. During peak season, CRA call centres can receive up to 300,000 calls a day, and last year they fielded over 32 million in total.

Callbacks

To reduce the chaos, the CRA has rolled out scheduled callback features for common issues like:

• Account access problems
• Online business registration

So far, more than 59,000 Canadians have used the callback option instead of waiting on hold — a small but helpful step in reducing caller frustration.

Digital

Phone service isn’t the only area getting attention. The CRA has been beefing up its digital tools too. The agency now offers:

• Password recovery online — no need to call in if you forget login details
• Manage Balance tool — make payments or set up payment plans without an agent
• GenAI chatbot beta — now handles more complex questions, including business topics like compliance and tax credits

These tools are helping take pressure off the phones. The CRA says features like the document verification system are letting 88% of new users register and access their accounts instantly, which cuts an estimated 300,000 calls per year.

Transfers

Another problem the CRA is tackling? Constant call transfers.

The agency has adjusted its system so payment-related questions go straight to specialists, eliminating about 95,000 transfers annually. Fewer transfers mean faster answers and less frustration for the caller.

Table

Here’s a quick snapshot of what’s changed:

Service Area	Improvement
Calls Answered	Up from 35% to 70%+ (peak 92%)
Staff Rehired	~1,250 additional agents
Scheduled Callbacks	Over 59,000 completed
New User Registration	88% get instant access
Digital Tools	Added chatbot, payment options, login help
Transfers Avoided	~95,000 fewer per year
Calls Diverted by Digital	~300,000 fewer calls annually

Reality

Despite the improvements, many Canadians are still skeptical. On Reddit and other forums, users have reported getting repeated “call back later” messages and long wait times. Some even claim they’ve been trying to get an issue resolved for months.

The CRA acknowledges it won’t be perfect.

“We will never be in a position to answer 100% of the phone calls we receive,” said Assistant Commissioner Melanie Serjak. Even with more agents, there will be times when demand simply outpaces capacity.

Reminder

With tax season around the corner, the CRA is encouraging Canadians to get organized early. Make sure your CRA account is active, your login info is updated, and double-check for any expiring tax credits or benefits you may have missed last year.

The filing deadline for most people is April 30, while the self-employed have until June 15 — but any taxes owing are still due by the end of April.

FAQs