Share your thoughts: Canada Revenue Agency consultations with official language minority communities across Canada

As part of its official languages commitments - Official Languages Act to Canadians and its People First philosophy, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) consulted with selected organizations that represent official language minority communities (OLMCs). The consultations covered a range of topics to better understand the reality of community members. This allowed the CRA to collect information and gather experiences relevant to its activities, as well as understand, consider, and support the priorities of OLMCs.

These consultations form part of the CRA’s commitment to providing quality services in both official languages, to support the development and vitality of OLMCs, and to foster the recognition and use of English and French in Canadian society.

The final report of the results of these consultations is now available. The report explores possible recommendations to improve our services and our communications in both official languages across Canada. The report also covers the CRA’s efforts to ensure employment equity for members of OLMCs and other measures the CRA is taking to support these communities.

Consultation objectives

Receive relevant feedback on how the CRA can better respond to the needs and realities of OLMCs with its programs, benefits, and services.
Gain a better understanding of the challenges OLMCs face when using CRA services in their first official language.
Help the CRA develop standards, practices, and policies that take into account the needs of OLMCs and put in place measures to prevent and lessen any negative impacts.
Receive relevant feedback on how the CRA can better collaborate with organizations that represent OLMCs to support its recruitment efforts.

Participation

With the help of federal and national partners, the CRA selected a list of organizations that represent the various linguistic minority communities and the diversity in Canadian society.

Consultation process

The consultation interviews with OLMC organizations took place in person and virtually and lasted from 60 to 90 minutes. Questions were sent to the organizations in advance.

What we learned

This consultation highlighted the diverse realities of official language minority communities and organizations representing these communities in Canada.

Although they have different realities, francophone and anglophone OLMCs have raised similar general challenges when communicating with the CRA.
Both OLMCs mentioned the newcomers, students, seniors and single parents as vulnerable populations in need of additional information and support on fiscal rights and obligations.
Francophone OLMC members often ask for services and communications in English as they perceive them as being easier and faster to access, less complex, and of better quality.

For more information, please read a copy of the full report: Official Language Minority Communities – Consultation Report - Canada.ca.

What’s next

The CRA thanks the participants who met with us in person and virtually. We will use this input in our continued efforts towards our official language commitments.