Tax centre union calls for hundreds more CRA workers

The Union of Taxation Employees is calling for hundreds more employees at Canada Revenue Agency taxation centres to clear a growing backlog of complex tax adjustments.

The union made the call following the taxpayer ombudsperson's June 11 announcement of an examination into processing delays. The ombudsperson found that complex T1 adjustment requests are taking as long as 47 weeks to resolve — more than double the CRA's 20-week service standard.

Taxpayer ombudsperson François Boileau said his office had been "swamped" with complaints. In the 2025-26 fiscal year, his office received 3,558 complaints, the highest in three years. Boileau identified possible root causes including staffing issues, training gaps, reliance on non-permanent staff, and communication problems with taxpayers.

Marc Brière, president of the Union of Taxation Employees, called T1 adjustments the "bread and butter" of CRA due to the high volume processed each year. He argued that hiring hundreds more employees and improving training would help return the agency to service standards.

"Why do you let people go when you know it's going to create a problem?" Brière said. He added that permanent employment would help CRA keep expertise and give workers stable livelihoods.

Boileau noted that clearing the T1 adjustment backlog could also free up phone lines at CRA contact centres, which struggled last year. "It's a vicious circle in a way," he said.

In a statement, CRA spokesperson Kim Thiffault said the agency is experiencing delays due to "high inventories and volumes carried over from previous years" and has taken concrete steps to improve processing times. The CRA said it will strengthen operational support by training additional assessors to process requests that require additional information, complex calculations, or review.