Departmental Results Framework indicators (2021-2022 Edition)

The Departmental Results Framework (DRF) indicators provide insight into the compliance of Canadians with tax obligations, whether non-compliance is addressed, and if Canadians have access to appropriate mechanisms for resolving disputes. 

Tables in CSV format

• Indicator 1: Percentage of tax returns filed on time
  This indicator measures on-time filing compliance for individuals.
• Indicator 2: Percentage of businesses registered for GST/HST
  This indicator represents the percentage of Canadian businesses registered for Goods and Services Tax (GST)/Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) (including Québec).
• Indicator 3: Percentage of reported tax liabilities paid on time
  This indicator measures on-time payment compliance.
• Indicator 4: Percentage of external service standards targets that are met or mostly met
  This indicator measures the percentage of external service standards targets that were met or mostly met within 5% of their target.
• Indicator 5: Service Satisfaction Index
  This indicator measures the level of satisfaction with CRA’s services which is an indication of client-centric service. Client-centric service has been empirically shown to predict trust, which in turn promotes cooperation and compliance. 
• This indicator captures Canadian taxpayers’ and tax preparers’ level of satisfaction with up to three aspects of service quality across service channels. The three aspects of service quality cover: process quality, information quality and interpersonal quality. The service channels include: mail, web, and telephone. The mail and web channels do not include the interpersonal quality dimension.
• The Service Satisfaction index is based on a 10-pt Likert scale ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree. The index is computed by calculating the blended average of responses to survey questions. Data is collected through a survey that is contracted out to an external party.
• Indicator 6: Public Perception Index: trust 
  Literature on tax compliance has identified trust as one of the key predictors of voluntary compliance. Accordingly the CRA has prioritized evaluating the public perception of trust in the Agency as one of its outcomes. This approach to measuring trust accomplishes two objectives: first, it will enable the Agency to measure and report on one of its departmental results (i.e. “Trust in the CRA”), and second, the data analysis has the potential to inform strategic decisions on whether to focus on management policies at the Agency level to improve trust in the organization or to focus on practices at the operational level aimed at improving the trustworthiness of CRA’s front-line employees. The index is computed by calculating the blended average of responses to questions related to trust in the CRA and its employees. The public opinion research (POR) surveys are contracted to a market research firm that uses both telephone and online surveys targeting: Individuals, incorporated businesses, and tax intermediaries. The sample size for the POR survey is determined based on a 5% margin of error and a confidence level of 95%.
• Indicator 7: Percentage of Canadians who voluntarily participate in the tax system
  This indicator measures voluntary compliance with tax filing.
• Indicator 8: Ratio of collectable tax debt to total net receipts (cash accounting)
  This indicator measures the performance of the CRA in managing tax debt.
• Indicator 9: Percentage of Canada child benefit payments issued to recipients on time
  This indicator measures the performance of the CRA in issuing Canada child benefit payments on time. 
• Indicator 10: Percentage of respondents satisfied with overall benefits experience
  Through a telephone survey, benefit recipients have the opportunity to let the CRA know the level of their satisfaction in their overall benefits service experience.
• Indicator 11: Percentage of taxpayers (benefit recipients) who filed as a result of targeted CRA intervention
  Ensures the Agency achieves its responsibilities and priorities of assisting Canadians to meet their filing obligations, while also ensuring Canadians receive the benefits they are entitled to. This value is derived by dividing the total number of taxpayers who filed after the letter was issued by the total number of letters issued. This supports the Minister Mandate commitment to ensure that CRA is a client-focused agency that will proactively contact Canadians who are entitled to, but are not receiving, tax benefits.