Yesterday's Auditor General’s report on CRA call centres is a clear warning sign.
- 10,000 CRA jobs eliminated since 2024
- Call centre agents cut from 7,800 to 3,500
- Only 5% of June calls answered within standard
- Less than 30 minutes of training per agent per year
- 17% accuracy rate on basic tax questions
- Complaints up 145%
This report makes it clear: cuts compromise the quality of services Canadians count on – resulting in longer wait times, reduced access to vital information, and growing frustration for those who need help.
CRA agents are professionals who want to help Canadians, but they’re being set up to fail by political decisions beyond their control. When professional capacity is slashed, training is eliminated, and expertise is replaced with algorithms, services break down, and the public pays the price.
In response, the government has pointed to more AI and general commitments to improve, rather than committing to the report’s main takeaway: align staffing levels with demand.
Canadians want to speak with a real person – someone who understands their situation and can offer trusted information. The solution isn’t more AI or automated bots that leave people feeling frustrated and disconnected.
This is a reminder that today’s service failures are the result of previous rounds of cuts. And now, the federal government is asking Canadians to brace for more – with its 15% reductions planned in the upcoming budget, the deepest public service cuts in generations.
Cuts already made are slowing services and making it harder for Canadians to get the support they need. The government faces a clear choice: strengthen public services by investing in them, or compromise them even further.