Track how the CRA is helping small and medium businesses
In the fall of 2018, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) received feedback from small and medium businesses and accountants that will help make our programs and services more streamlined and client-centric.
As mentioned in the CRA’s 2018 Serving You Better consultations report with small and medium businesses, we had planned to complete the action items listed below between 2019 and 2021. Due to unforeseen circumstances as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the CRA focused much of its efforts over the past year on administering new emergency and recovery benefits to financially aid Canadians and Canadian-owned businesses. Below, you will find new target implementation dates for action items that remain underway. This is an ongoing process and we will continue to update this web page as action items are completed. Please stay tuned as we continue on our journey to be trusted, fair, and helpful by putting people first.
What the CRA will do to improve services for small and medium businesses
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1. We will continue to modernize and raise awareness of the CRA’s digital services
| What we will do | Status | Target date Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Improve the Submit Documents service for a better user experience. For example, you will be able to upload up to ten documents at once. You will also be able to electronically submit documents for new owner updates and provide estate documents electronically. | |
Spring 2021 Spring 2020 previous target date |
| Make the processing status of certain special elections and returns available in MyBA. For example, Schedule 89 - Request for a Capital Dividend Account Balance Verification and Form T2054 – Election for a Capital Dividend Under Subsection 83(2). | |
Fall 2021 Spring 2020 previous target date |
| Businesses will be able to sign-up to receive an email confirmation when documents are sent to the CRA. | |
Spring 2022 Fall 2019 previous target date |
| What we have done | Status |
|---|---|
| Make Represent a Client available for estate accounts. | |
| Make our How-to videos available on relevant Canada.ca pages in addition to being available on the CRA’s YouTube channel. | |
| Enhance the Represent a Client interface to add an easy to find “What’s New” link in the portal that will help representatives find reference materials while still maintaining their secure connection. | |
| Make more correspondence available in the online portals. For example, soon you will be able to get certain appeals letters, charities letters and non-filer letters in MyBA. | |
2. We will continue to make tax information easier to access, understand, and use
| What we will do | Status | Target date Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Examine ways to make it easier for authorized representatives to navigate the Interactive Voice Response (IVR) options. | |
Winter 2022 Fall 2019 previous target date |
| What we have done | Status |
|---|---|
| Expand the Liaison Officer service to incorporated businesses. | |
| Update the email notification to individuals and businesses to let them know what type of correspondence is waiting for them in the online portal. | |
| Explore the feasibility of extending the hours of our Business Enquiries telephone service. | |
| Establish the Dedicated Telephone Service for tax preparers as a permanent service. | |
| Create a new Canada.ca page that lists all services the CRA offers to small and medium businesses. | |
3. We will continue to clarify information about payment options
| What we will do | Status | Target date Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Businesses can sign-up to receive an email confirmation when a payment has been applied to their account. | |
Spring 2022 Fall 2019 previous target date |
| Allow businesses and their representatives to print certain types of remittance vouchers. | |
Winter 2023 Winter 2021 previous target date |
| What we have done | Status |
|---|---|
| Create educational products to better inform GST/HST sole proprietors about the options available to make payments on their GST/HST account and ensure that our Business Enquiries agents have proper training and information when addressing calls on this matter. | |
| Introduce a new “Pay” button that will be available in MyBA and some GST/HST digital filing venues. | |
| Implement a new electronic payment option allowing employers to make garnishee payments to the CRA. | |
4. We will continue to improve services related to the audit, collections, and appeals processes
| What we will do | Status | Target date Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Develop an internal process for trusts (similar to the process created for T1) that will automate the process and reduce the time it takes to process a clearance certificate. | |
Fall 2021 Fall 2019 previous target date |
| What we have done | Status |
|---|---|
| Develop new videos on taxpayer relief, which will be available in the CRA’s Business video gallery. | |
| Revise form RC 4288 Request for Taxpayer Relief - Cancel or Waive Penalties or Interest form to make it easier to fill out. | |
| Make more correspondence related to objections available in the CRA’s online portals. | |
| Explore the development of an online fillable version of form TX19 Asking for a Clearance Certificate, allowing authorized representatives to request a clearance certificate directly through Represent a Client. | |
| Release an electronic version of form RC 4288 Request for Taxpayer Relief - Cancel or Waive Penalties or Interest. | |
| Develop new videos on the objections process which will be available in the CRA’s Business video gallery. | |
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