2015-16 Report on Plans and Priorities

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Section 2: Analysis of programs by strategic outcome

Program: Benefit programs

The benefit programs help many Canadians who depend on benefit payments for a significant part of their household income. The CRA administers a range of ongoing benefits and one-time payment programs on behalf of the provinces and territories and the federal government, such as the Canada child tax benefit, the GST/HST credit and the universal child care benefit. We ensure that the right benefit payment is made to the right individual at the right time and give recipients accessible information and timely responses to their enquiries.

Budgetary financial information

Human resources

Performance measurements

Planning highlights

The federal government and many provincial and territorial governments turn to the CRA to deliver benefit and credit programs because of the Agency's expertise and systems infrastructure. By working with the CRA, government clients can lower their program administration costs and reduce duplication, as well as take advantage of the CRA's track record of integrity, fairness, and effective management of benefit programs.

The CRA's role is to ensure the correct payments are made to the right individuals as efficiently as possible. Most programs use similar income-based eligibility criteria, contributing to a high degree of accuracy in benefit payments. The Agency's information technology infrastructure enables quick and efficient data matching from tax returns and information sharing with federal, provincial, and territorial government counterparts. The CRA also possesses the payment processing capabilities needed to ensure the right benefit payment is made to the right individual at the right time.

The CRA is in year four of a nine-year project to reengineer the benefits system platform to strengthen capacity to issue timely and accurate benefit payments to millions of Canadians. The result will be improved service to taxpayers and increased capacity to manage future growth in the benefit programs and services delivered for the provinces and territories, and the federal government.

Technology is also at the centre of the CRA's strategy to make it as easy as possible to securely apply for benefits, receive information, and communicate with the Agency. The CRA's e-services provide self-service options which enable benefit applicants and recipients to securely manage their account details, such as updating marital status and the number of children in their care, using the benefits page within My Account, the online portal for taxpayers. The CRA will be making it easier for taxpayers to access essential information about their benefits.

The automated benefits application greatly simplifies the benefit application process for taxpayers. When registering their child's birth, parents simply need to consent to their data being shared with the CRA. The CRA then automatically determines if the applicant is eligible for the Canada child tax benefit (CCTB), the universal child care benefit (UCCB), and any related provincial and territorial programs participating in the automated benefit application process. First introduced in 2009, the automated benefit application is now available in nine provinces with Saskatchewan scheduled to join in late 2015. Discussions continue with the three territories.

Subprogram: Benefit enquiries

The benefit enquiries subprogram offers benefit recipients timely and accessible information on their entitlements and obligations through our call centres.

Budgetary financial information

Human resources

Performance measurements

Planning highlights

Families and children, low and moderate income households, persons with disabilities, caregivers, and other Canadians receiving benefit payments depend on the CRA to provide efficient determinations of their eligibility and they count on the Agency to respond promptly to more than five million enquiries annually. The Agency's benefit administration service for the federal government and provincial and territorial governments includes providing benefit applicants and recipients with information about benefit programs and giving timely and accurate responses to their enquiries.

Deliverables

• The CRA is pilot-testing the amalgamation of two telephone networks to improve services by resolving more issues the first time benefit recipients call the Agency. The results of the pilot will be reviewed in 2015-2016.

Subprogram: Benefit programs administration

The benefit programs administration subprogram delivers a range of ongoing benefits and one-time payment programs that support the economic and social well-being of Canadians. Through processing and validation activities it ensures the right benefit payment is made to the right individual at the right time.

Budgetary financial information

Human resources

Performance measurements

Planning highlights

The CRA administers these important government programs in a secure and cost-effective manner while also simplifying the benefit process for eligible recipients.

Deliverables

• Beginning in July 2015, the CRA will automatically determine the eligibility of every individual who files a return and issue the GST/HST credit to all entitled individuals.
• On October 30, 2014, the Government of Canada announced tax relief measures and benefit increases for families with children. The announcement included the following enhancements to the universal child care benefit (UCCB):
  • $60 increase, from $100 to $160, for each eligible child under the age of 6 years, effective January 2015.
  • $60 for each eligible child aged 6 to 17, effective January 2015.
• Pending the receipt of royal assent, the first enhanced UCCB payments will be issued in July 2015, and will include any increased benefit applicable from January to June of 2015.
• The CRA will implement e-delivery for benefit recipients who opt in for this service in 2016, enabling the CRA to advise benefit recipients, via electronic notification, when they have correspondence or an action request from the CRA to view in a secure portal.
• The CRA will continue to expand the use of the Automated Benefit Application service to the remaining province in late 2015. Discussions continue with the three territories.

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