2015-16 Departmental Performance Report
A message from the Minister
"Our government has promised middle class Canadians a tax system that is responsive to their needs. The work undertaken to identify and combat both domestic and international tax evasion and tax avoidance is delivering real results and ensuring a fair tax system for all Canadians." — Diane Lebouthillier
I am honoured to lead the Canada Revenue Agency as the Minister of National Revenue. Since my appointment in November 2015, I have been working closely with CRA officials and am encouraged by our achievements over the last year. We have taken great strides to contribute to the government's overall agenda, including making enhancements to service delivery. I believe that Canadians deserve high-quality services that are delivered in a way that makes them feel respected and valued.
Over this past year, the CRA has made significant improvements to services for taxpayers and benefit recipients. Many Canadians were able to do more online in 2015-2016 through new and enhanced secure digital services. We simplified correspondence and communications to taxpayers with a redesigned T1 Notice of Assessment (NOA) that is easier to read and understand. In addition to offering a new level of service excellence from the CRA, the improvements made this past year will promote increased compliance by making it easier for taxpayers to comply with their tax obligations and avoid errors.
The Canadian personal income tax system provides many credits specifically designed to benefit lower-income Canadians. However, each year a number of these taxpayers do not file a tax return, causing them to miss out on potential tax benefits. To address this, we made improvements to help Canadians understand what benefits they may be eligible to receive and how much their payments may be. Additional funding was allocated to the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program so that more Canadians could receive assistance in completing their Income Tax and Benefit Return, particularly those unable to complete and file their tax and benefit returns on their own, including Indigenous Peoples and those on fixed incomes. We will continue working to reach out to those eligible for benefits but not yet receiving them.
I remain committed to fair and transparent regulation of registered charities. A review of registered charities' political activities from 2013-2016 showed charities to be largely compliant with the rules around political activities. I call on our partners in the charitable sector to encourage their members to participate in the CRA's consultation process to further clarify the rules about registered charities' political activities. I look forward to the results of the consultation process, which will inform the CRA's efforts to provide updated policy guidance and other educational resources on this subject.
Our government is committed to deterring underground economic activity, tax evasion and aggressive tax planning and has increased resources to ensure more effective administration and enforcement of tax laws, improving the integrity of Canada's tax system, both domestically and internationally. The CRA has been very active in collaborating with other tax administrations to improve international tax transparency and address instances where international tax planning arrangements are undertaken by multinational enterprises to inappropriately minimize their taxes.
I continue to meet with members of the Underground Economy Advisory Committee to look at ways to more actively combat the underground economy in Canada. The Committee's advice and recommendations will help the CRA improve its methods and strategies to more effectively identify those who avoid paying their fair share of taxes and bring them into compliance with the law. By collaborating with industry partners, along with provincial and territorial governments, we continue to fight the underground economy and help create a level playing field for all businesses and taxpayers.
As Minister of National Revenue, I am very proud to present the 2015-16 Departmental Performance Report for the Canada Revenue Agency.
Original signed
The Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, P.C., M.P.
Minister of National Revenue
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