A Message from the Minister

I have had the honour of serving Canadians as Minister of National Revenue for the past two years. When I was appointed in 2015, I was given the mandate to ensure that the Canada Revenue Agency (Agency) become more fair and helpful, and its services easier to use, so that Canadians interacting with the Agency would feel more like valued clients and not just taxpayers. This report sets out the concrete results that have been achieved by the Agency and communicates the progress made during 2016-2017.

Over the past year, the Agency continued to provide high quality services to taxpayers and to benefit recipients. Innovative methods were introduced to permit more timely communication between the Agency and taxpayers, opening the door for ongoing dialogue without compromising the security of taxpayer information. The CRA also made it easier for taxpayers to access its digital services, and millions of Canadians made use of these improved, secure services. No matter how Canadians now contact the Agency, they can be sure that we treat them like valued clients and they will receive the high standards of service they expect.

I am especially committed to improving the services that the CRA offers to Indigenous peoples, individuals who have modest incomes and middle class families. Using investments announced in the 2016 Budget, the Agency took action to ensure that more taxpayers file their returns and receive the amounts they are entitled to by proactively reaching out to over 20,000 Canadians who were eligible for benefits but not yet receiving them. The CRA also improved the clarity and simplicity of its correspondence to make it easier for taxpayers to comply with their tax obligations. Meanwhile, the Government of Canada made a significant investment toward optimizing the CRA's Community Volunteer Income Tax Program so that the Agency can provide more assistance to taxpayers with modest incomes and simple tax situations.

The Agency also took steps during 2016-2017 to make regulations for registered charities more fair and transparent. Increased involvement with charities and the consultations that we held gave both me and the Agency a better understanding of the challenges that these organizations face. I am especially pleased to note the extent to which charities participated in these consultations and I look forward to continuing our engagement with the charitable sector to ensure that charities get the support they need to carry out the important work they do on behalf of Canadians.

In light of the disturbing revelations from the Panama Papers and to respond to the desire by Canadians that all taxpayers pay their fair share, the Government of Canada increased the number of Agency resources assigned to the fight against tax evasion and aggressive tax planning. We pursue individuals and businesses that are not meeting their obligations, identifying an additional $21.6 billion in potential revenue this past year. Canada is working closely with other members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to make sure that individuals who hide their income and assets abroad are brought to justice and pay their fair share. Historical investments from the 2016 Budget have allowed the Agency to hire more experts in behavioural economics, data analysis, forensic accounting and project management to research and address both domestic and international tax schemes. The additional funding invested in the Agency by the Government of Canada, as well as the expertise of Agency employees, is helping to identify more of the revenue needed to fund the essential programs that assist millions of Canadians.

I am proud of Agency employees' professionalism and integrity, and Canadians can be proud to count on a tax administration that is world-class. I am confident that you will draw the same conclusion after reading of the Agency's many accomplishments in this 2016-2017 Canada Revenue Agency Departmental Results Report.

Original signed

The Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, P.C., M.P.
Minister of National Revenue