Summary of the Corporate Business Plan 2015-2016 to 2017-2018
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Summary of the Corporate Business Plan 2015-2016 to 2017-2018
Minister's Message
"Our government is protecting the revenue base by ensuring all Canadians meet their tax obligations."
— Kerry-Lynne D. Findlay
The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) plays an essential role in our government's jobs and growth agenda. I am committed to making it easier for taxpayers to meet and understand their obligations, find information, and apply for benefits. Our government is also enhancing CRA services to meet the needs of businesses. The CRA's ever-increasing range of secure and innovative online services are simplifying interactions with taxpayers, businesses, and benefit recipients while reducing the overall cost of tax administration. While delivering these service improvements, the CRA continues to place the highest priority on protecting the personal information entrusted to it by taxpayers, and is implementing enhanced protocols to make sure that taxpayer information is safeguarded.
Our government is reducing red tape for businesses and individuals. Since 2006, we have introduced many measures to give entrepreneurs the support they need to manage their tax affairs easily and quickly. I announced the Liaison Officer Initiative in January 2014 through which CRA experts give hands-on help to entrepreneurs. After a successful pilot, the Liaison Officer Initiative has now been rolled out across the country. The CRA's innovative e-services include the Business Tax Reminders mobile app launched last year, and a new app to be implemented this year to allow taxpayers to view basic personal tax information from their mobile devices. To continue our work to reduce red tape, the CRA consulted with owners of small and medium-sized businesses and their accountants in more than 20 cities across Canada last Fall. Their feedback will help the CRA to establish priorities for 2015 and beyond. We also recognize the importance of plain language communications. The CRA is implementing an action plan to make our correspondence easier for businesses, individuals and benefit recipients to understand.
Our government is protecting the revenue base with new measures to ensure all Canadians meet their tax obligations. In November 2014, I tabled in Parliament an enhanced three-year strategy—Reducing Participation in the Underground Economy—and joined forces with industry through the creation of my Ministerial Underground Economy Advisory Committee. Our government has also strengthened the CRA's ability to combat international tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. Last year, I launched the Offshore Tax Informant Program and announced the creation of a new Offshore Compliance Division, supported by $30 million in new and reallocated funds. In January 2015, the Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) initiative came into effect, requiring international EFTs of $10,000 or more to be reported to the CRA to help identify higher risk taxpayers and files. These new tools will combat offshore tax non-compliance and improve the integrity of the tax system. Taxpayers are taking notice. The CRA has seen an increase in the use of the Voluntary Disclosures Program which provides a safe way for them to come forward and correct their tax affairs.
As the Minister of National Revenue, I am proud to present the Summary of the Corporate Business Plan 2015-2016 to 2017-2018 for the Canada Revenue Agency.
original siged by
The Honourable Kerry-Lynne D. Findlay, P.C., Q.C., M.P.
Minister of National Revenue
- Date modified:
- 2015-04-01