Reducing barriers to contacting the CRA with the new dedicated phone lines for video relay service (VRS) users

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) wants to make it easier for those who are deaf, hard-of-hearing or speech impaired to get their tax and benefit answers. That is why the CRA, in partnership with the Canadian Administrator of Video Relay Service (CAV), has introduced new dedicated phone lines, with service in English and French, for video relay service (VRS) users. We know that some individuals face unique challenges when it comes to accessing the information they need, and we’re continuously looking at ways to deliver solutions to eliminate these barriers. We’re proud to be the first Government of Canada department to integrate dedicated services for VRS users.

What is VRS?

VRS allows individuals to communicate over video via a sign language interpreter. This new dedicated line will provide individuals who use American Sign Language (ASL) or langue des signes québécoise (LSQ), and their CAV interpreters, direct contact with a CRA agent.

How to access the new VRS line:

To use the new dedicated VRS lines, individuals will first need to ensure they are registered with Canada VRS. Once registered, they can connect with a CRA agent by calling 1-800-561-6393 for service in English or 1-800-561-9332 for service in French. To improve the caller experience, these lines limits Interactive Voice Response (IVR) interactions, routes calls to multi-skilled agents, minimizes additional in-call transfers, and prioritizes calls to cut down on wait times for the caller and their interpreter to ensure there is equal opportunity for VRS users to connect with a CRA agent.

Other ways we’ve improved your experience contacting the CRA:

• Launching a live-agent online chat service for general enquiries
• Publishing live wait times online at canada.ca/cra-contact
• Monitoring feedback from Canadians on how we can improve our service

To build on these successes, we will work towards an improved service experience for all Canadians as we continue to explore new and innovative ways to deliver essential information.

Contacts

Media Relations
Canada Revenue Agency
613-948-8366
cra-arc.media@cra-arc.gc.ca

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