Time’s Up: CRA’s 100 Day Mandate for Improvement

After years of frustration on the part of tax professionals and taxpayers alike, the Finance Minister ordered the Canada Revenue Agency to clean up its act in 100 days. Specifically, the improvement plan was to run from September 2 through December 11. Finance Minister and Minister of National Revenue, Francoise-Phillippe Champagne instructed CRA to fix “unacceptable wait times and service delays.” Time’s up this week and CRA has released an update on progress. What gets measured, gets done. Let’s see what CRA’s metrics show. 

Twenty three lucky people won the Knowledge Bureau Sweepstakes - $38,000 in tuition scholarships are being awarded and if you registered in any Knowledge Bureau program last month, your name may be on this list. Check it out and help us congratulate and thank all – some of them double-winners!

Last week we introduced you to the thought leaders that will be taking the virtual stage at DAC 2021, but that’s not the only action that will be happening at Canada’s most innovative virtual conference from October 17-19. As last year’s attendees can attest to – we’ve brought the networking fun of a live event to a virtual environment. Here are some of the highlights you don’t want to miss out on:

Some important things have been happening to kick the summer off for Knowledge Bureau students and graduates: June 30 is the relicensing deadline for designates who must meet the 15 annual CE credit requirement and submit their Certificate of Attestation by this date. Check out the handy Q&A Relicensing Guide below and remember to send in your Attestation to Standards of Conduct.  We hope your professionalism continues to inspire new students to join the ranks of these esteemed credentialled professionals across the nation, by earning their designation, too.

The latest key tax filing statistics for tax season 2021 - February 9 to May 25 – show more tax returns were filed than last year without the benefit of  tax filing deadline extensions. As tax season 2021 now closes in on the June 15 proprietorship deadline exhausted tax specialists and highly involved financial advisors, will need to continue the pace for five specific reasons:

The Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) released a post-budget economic and fiscal outlook last Thursday, on the same day the April 19, 2021 budget passed its second reading.  It was a timely move, as the report focused on the impact of the $142.9 billion in new measures proposed – a number which excludes pandemic related support. It suggests Canada’s long-term economic outlook may be more expensive and less rosy than the budget estimated.

There are two kinds of fishing expeditions. For most of us, tales of the big one that got away tend to brighten moonlit campfire stories.  But when it comes to fishing expeditions by the CRA, storm clouds can emerge quite quickly.  That’s why it’s important to understand the law and taxpayers’ rights under it. Knowledge Bureau Report welcomes Marco Iampieri B.A., JD, M.B.A. to its editorial team to explain why.