Canadians voice frustrations with CRA over delays accessing benefits, refunds

CTV News

6 days ago

Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) national headquarters is seen in Ottawa on Friday, June 28, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
Chris Ellis has been trying to access his tax refund for four months.
He's just one of dozens of Canadians who tell CTV News the significant wait times and other challenges contacting the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) are preventing them from accessing certain benefits.
From getting locked out of accounts for extended periods to getting stuck in a loop on the automated voice messaging system, many are expressing frustration with the agency's communication.
In response to a CTV News article encouraging Canadians to reach out about their experiences with the CRA, several people shared that they have been waiting months to have their issues resolved.
Ellis, for his part, was notified he'd been locked out of his CRA account after his bank, HSBC, was bought out by RBC, changing his direct deposit information and triggering a security alert. But Ellis says he didn't learn he'd been locked out until more than a month after he filed his taxes.
'I called CRA, and after listening to useless advice and options, I finally realized that I was in a loop: there was no way to reach an actual agent, and there was no option to select one,' Ellis wrote. 'This went on for about three weeks, with me calling in, going through the useless messages that took about six minutes, only to find out there were no agents available.'
'Super frustrating given that my account was locked out,' he added.
Ellis then had to submit documentation through a portal — more than once — to prove his identity, but he still hasn't received his tax refund.
'So here I am, almost four months after submitting my tax return, and I am still in limbo,' he said.
Ellis adds that CRA employees, once they can be reached, are 'very sharp' and 'very helpful,' but that the issue lies with the online and phone services.
Delays causing 'extreme stress'
'I have been unable to reach a human at the CRA for weeks,' wrote Eric Enright in an email to CTV News. 'I have called periodically, maybe 10-15 times, and every time it just says all agents are busy and pushes me to an automated system that can't help. It is very frustrating.'
'I have no problem waiting hours, as I can just leave my phone beside me while I work,' Enright added. 'It's ridiculous, in my opinion, to not even give people the option of waiting.'
Paul Medhurst said his tax return was filed mid-April but also has still not been processed.
'This failure of CRA is causing me extreme stress, worry and I'm losing a lot of sleep,' Medhurst said. '(I) worry of being broke and having my income held.'
He added the delay in processing his tax return is preventing him from accessing monthly disability benefits.
Sarah Kienitz wrote that it's taken months to receive the Canada Child Benefit, for which she's been approved.
'I attempted to contact the CRA three times to find out what the hold up was and to get clarity about why my taxes had been processed, but this was taking much longer,' she wrote. 'Each time I received a message that agents were busy and there was no option to even remain on hold, or any other way to contact them, except the chatbot that inevitably told me to call an agent with my queries.'
'I find it incredibly frustrating that I have tax deadlines and can be penalized for not completing on time, but the CRA can drag their heels almost four months before even telling me what my benefit entitlements are,' Kienitz also wrote.
Others complained that CRA delays and communication challenges are preventing them from distributing estates for which they are the executor.
Government departments tasked with finding savings
Prime Minister Mark Carney, meanwhile, has pledged billions in new spending while promising to balance its operating budget. That will likely mean significant cuts to the size of the federal public service, according to the parliamentary budget officer.
Ahead of a planned fall budget, government departments are being asked to find their own internal savings by the end of August, CTV News has confirmed.
The Globe and Mail reported Friday the CRA is among the departments in the early stages of determining where to make cuts, as the union representing CRA employees is warning the cuts could 'disproportionately' affect call centres.
Complaints about CRA wait times are not new.
A 2017 report by the Auditor General found that the agency gave 'very limited access to its call centre services,' and that it blocked more than half the calls it received because it couldn't handle the volume.
Also a 2023 report by the taxpayers' ombudsperson found the agency failed to properly communicate about the problem when thousands of people were locked out of their account two years prior. That report acknowledged specific challenges at the time, namely an overwhelming number of requests with the CRA while it distributed COVID-19-era relief benefits.
'This examination has highlighted a recurring issue at the CRA, where it communicates reactively rather than proactively,' the report concluded.
In an email statement to CTV News, CRA spokesperson Charles Drouin said the agency is encouraging people to use online self-service tools — such as CRA My Account and the AI chatbot — before calling, because an estimated quarter of reported issues can be solved without an agent.
'We regret the inconvenience this situation may cause and are actively working to continuously improve both our phone and digital services,' Drouin wrote. 'By expanding self-service options, we aim to make it easier for Canadians to get the help they need quickly, securely, and without needing to speak to an agent.'
Drouin added the CRA understands wait times can be frustrating, and that it values 'providing timely, high-quality service.'
'At times, demand for phone support can exceed our capacity and as a result, some callers are being redirected to automated self-service options,' Drouin wrote.
Efforts to streamline certain processes are underway, including by changing some of its authorization requirements for individuals representing a client, according to a press release from the CRA this week.
With files from CTV News' Stephanie Ha