The union representing taxation workers is calling for hundreds more employees at Canada Revenue Agency taxation centres to address delays in processing complex tax adjustments.
Ombudsperson Report Highlights Delays
The Union of Taxation Employees made the call following the taxpayer ombudsperson’s June 11 announcement of an examination into processing delays of complex T1 adjustment requests. The ombudsperson pointed to delays resulting in as many as 47 weeks being needed to resolve complex adjustments, far above the CRA's service standard of 20 weeks.
Taxpayer ombudsperson François Boileau told the Ottawa Citizen that the office launched the examination because it was “swamped” with taxpayer complaints. In the annual report from the taxpayer ombudsperson, published June 16, Boileau found there had been 3,558 complaints in the 2025-26 fiscal year, the highest in three years.
Root Causes Under Investigation
Boileau said his office hoped to find the root cause and systemic issues resulting in those processing delays, pointing to staffing issues, training, a reliance on non-permanent staff, and communication with taxpayers as possible causes.
Marc Brière, president of the Union of Taxation Employees, is calling for hundreds more employees and more training at the taxation centre to bring about a return to CRA service standards. Brière called T1 tax adjustments the “bread and butter” of the CRA due to how many it receives each year.
As taxpayers wait months before they receive their tax returns, it also has “a big impact on a lot of people,” Brière said.
Training and Permanent Staffing Concerns
Brière also called for improved training of new employees, especially because the CRA relies on non-permanent staff, creating a “yo-yo” effect of hiring and re-hiring as well as an erosion of expertise.
“Why do you let people go when you know it’s going to create a problem?” Brière said. He added that the CRA needed to “make more permanent employment so you’re going to keep the best people,” arguing that more stability would help the CRA meet service standards and give more workers a “decent livelihood.”
Broader Impacts on Contact Centres
For Boileau, clearing the processing delays with T1 adjustments could also free up phone lines at CRA contact centres, which also struggled last year. “It’s a vicious circle in a way,” Boileau said.
CRA Response
In a statement to the Ottawa Citizen, CRA spokesperson Kim Thiffault said the agency was experiencing delays due to “high inventories and volumes carried over from previous years.”
“We recognize the importance of resolving these requests as quickly as possible and have taken concrete steps to improve processing times,” Thiffault said. “To reduce current inventories and improve processing times, the CRA will be strengthening operational support by training additional assessors to process requests that require additional information, complex calculations, or review.”
