Canada Revenue Agency 2015-16 Departmental Performance Report
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2015-16 Departmental Performance Report
Appendix C – Service Standards
Services on TargetFootnote 1 91.5%
The CRA has 47 service standards for 2015-2016 which demonstrate our commitment to taxpayers and benefit recipients and outline the services they should expect under normal circumstances.
Based on results from 2015-2016, the CRA has achieved its targetsFootnote 1 for the following service standards:
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Tax returns, claims and benefits
Tax Returns which is comprised of 9 separate service standards. The result is 100 percent.
Benefits which is comprised of 5 separate service standards.The result is 1oo percent.
Claims which is comprised of 6 separate service standards. The result is 100 percent.
Pension, deferred and education plans
Written enquiries which is comprised of one service standard. The result is 0 percent.
Actuarial valuation reports which is comprised of one service standard. The result is 100 percent.
Applications which is comprised of 5 separate service standards. The result is 100 percent.
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Charities
Telephone enquiries which is comprised of 1 service standard. The result is 100 percent.
Written enquiries which is comprised of 2 separate service standards. The result is 0 percent.
Applications which is comprised of 2 separate service standards. The result is 100 percent.
Rulings and Interpretations
Rulings which is comprised of 3 separate service standards. The result is 66.7 percent
Interpretations which is comprised of 1 service standard. The result is 100 percent
Issue Resolution
Disputes which is comprised of 1 service standard. The result is 100 percent
Service Complaints which is comprised of 2 separate service standards. The result is 100 percent.
Enquiries and requests
Individual and business enquiries which is comprised of 5 separate service standards. The result is 100 percent.
Requests which is comprised of 3 separate service standards. The result is 100 percent.
Here is a detailed list of our service standards, as well as targets, for each service standard:
| Tax returns, claims, and benefits | Target | 2013-14 | 2014-15 | 2015-16 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Processing T1 individual income tax returns (EFILE and NETFILE) | Our goal is to process electronic T1 returns (EFILE and NETFILE) within an average of two weeks of receipt | 100% | 1.6 weeks | 1.6 weeks | 1.7 weeks |
| Processing T1 individual income tax returns (paper) | Our goal is to process a paper T1 return and mail a notice of assessment and refund, if applicable, within an average of four to six weeks | 100% | 5 weeks | 5.6 weeks | 5.6 weeks |
| Processing T2 corporation income tax returns – electronic | Our goal is to assess electronic T2 returns (corporation income tax) in 45 calendar days or less | 90% | 97.1% | 96.5% | 97.5% |
| Processing T2 corporation income tax returns – paper | Our goal is to assess paper T2 returns (corporation income tax) in 90 calendar days or less | 90% | 91.4% | 92.1% | 92.8% |
| Processing GST/HST returns | Our goal is to process GST/HST returns within 30 calendar days of receipt | 95% | 96.5% | 97% | 96.7% |
| Processing T3 trust returns | Our goal is to process T3 trust returns within four months | 95% | 99.3% | 96.3% | 96.4% |
| Processing excise tax, excise duty, softwood lumber returns, and air travellers’ security charge returns | Our goal is to assess excise tax, excise duty, softwood lumber returns, and air travellers’ security charge returns in 60 calendar days or less of receipt | 95% | 97.2% | 97.6% | 98.5% |
| Responding to taxpayer-requested adjustments (T1) | Our goal is to complete the adjustment and mail a notice of reassessment within an average of eight weeks, provided all requisite information has been received from the taxpayer | 100% | 7 weeks | 7 weeks | 7.8 weeks |
| Responding to taxpayer-requested adjustments (T1) received by Internet | Our goal is to complete the adjustment and mail a notice of reassessment within an average of two weeks, provided all requisite information has been received from the taxpayer | 100% | 1.6 weeks | 1.6 weeks | 1.8 weeks |
| Responding to benefit and credit enquiries – timeliness | Our goal is to respond to written enquiries and telephone referrals from call centers within 80 calendar days | 98% | 99.1% | 98.7% | 97.8% |
| Responding to benefit and credit enquiries – accuracy | Our goal is to respond to written enquiries and telephone referrals from call centres, with the correct information, and accurately process new recipient information, including issuing a payment, notice, or letter | 98% | 98% | 98% | 96.7%Footnote 2 |
| Processing benefit applications and marital status change forms – accuracy | Our goal is to accurately process the appropriate payment and notice and, if necessary, issue a letter requesting additional information |
98% | 99% | 99.1% | 99.4% |
| Processing benefit applications and marital status change forms – timeliness | Our goal is to issue a payment, notice, or explanation within 80 calendar days | 98% | 99.5% | 99.1% | 99.1% |
| Benefits validation and compliance – results of review | Our goal is to inform you of the result of our review within 45 calendar days after we receive the information requested | 90% | 98.9% | 99.6% | 98.5% |
| Claims – SR&ED tax incentives – claimant-requested adjustments to non-refundable claims | Our goal is to process claims for tax incentives from businesses conducting scientific research and experimental development (SR&ED) in Canada within 365 calendar days from receipt of a complete claim for non-refundable claims related to adjustments requested to previously filed income tax returns | 90% | 93% | 95% | 93% |
| Claims – SR&ED tax incentives – claimant-requested adjustments to refundable claims | Our goal is to process claims for tax incentives from businesses conducting scientific research and experimental development (SR&ED) in Canada within 240 calendar days from receipt of a complete claim, for refundable claims related to adjustments requested to previously filed income tax returns | 90% | 96% | 93% | 95% |
| Claims – SR&ED tax incentives – non-refundable claims | Our goal is to process claims for tax incentives from businesses conducting scientific research and experimental development (SR&ED) in Canada within 365 calendar days from receipt of a complete claim for non-refundable claims | 90% | 96% | 96% | 97% |
| Claims – SR&ED tax incentives – refundable claims | Our goal is to process claims for tax incentives from businesses conducting scientific research and experimental development (SR&ED) in Canada within 120 calendar days from receipt of a complete claim for refundable claims | 90% | 96% | 95% | 95% |
| Claims – video and film tax credits – refundable claims – audited | Our goal is to review T2 corporation income tax returns which include claims for the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit, the Film or Video Production Services Tax Credit, the B.C. Film and Television Tax credit, the B.C. Production Services Tax Credit, the Manitoba Film and Video Production Tax Credit, the Ontario Film and Television Tax Credit, and the Ontario Production Services Tax Credit within 120 calendar days from the date of receipt where audit action is undertaken | 90% | 96% | 94% | 95% |
| Claims – video and film tax credits – refundable claims – unaudited | Our goal is to review T2 corporation income tax returns which include claims for the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit, the Film or Video Production Services Tax Credit, the B.C. Film and Television Tax credit, the B.C. Production Services Tax Credit, the Manitoba Film and Video Production Tax Credit, the Ontario Film and Television Tax Credit, and the Ontario Production Services Tax Credit within 60 calendar days from the date of receipt where no audit action is undertaken | 90% | 96% | 96% | 98% |
| Pension, deferred, and education plans | Target | 2013-14 | 2014-15 | 2015-16 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deferred income plans – response to written enquiries | Our goal is to respond to written enquiries within 60 calendar days | 80% | 89% | 43% | 61%Footnote 3 |
| Actuarial valuation reports | Our goal is to review actuarial valuation reports within nine months and provide written approval of the recommended employer contributions | 80% | 71% | 81% | 87% |
| Applications to register pension plans | Our goal is to complete a full review and provide a response on applications to register pension plans within 180 calendar days | 85% | 89% | 81% | 87% |
| Deferred profit sharing plans – reviewing applications | Our goal is to review applications to register new deferred profit sharing plans within 180 calendar days | 80% | 98% | 97% | 96% |
| Education savings plans (applications to register, amend, or terminate) | Our goal is to respond to applications to approve, amend, and terminate education savings plans specimen plans within 60 calendar days | 85% | 92% | 85% | 92% |
| Retirement income funds (applications to register, amend, or terminate) | Our goal is to respond to applications to register, amend, or terminate retirement income funds within 60 calendar days | 80% | 99% | 100% | 99% |
| Retirement savings plans (applications to register, amend, or terminate) | Our goal is to respond to applications to register, amend, or terminate retirement savings plans (RSPs) within 60 calendar days | 80% | 99% | 99% | 99% |
| Charity registration | Target | 2013-14 | 2014-15 | 2015-16 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charities – responding to telephone enquiries | Our goal is to respond to calls in agent queue within two minutes | 80% | 85.1% | 76.2% | 76.8%Footnote 4 |
| Charities – written enquiries – routine | Our goal is to review and respond to routine written enquiries in 30 calendar days or less of receipt | 80% | 79.8% | 83.3% | 71.6%Footnote 5 |
| Charities – written enquiries – complex | Our goal is to review and respond to complex written enquiries in 75 calendar days or less of receipt | 80% | 55% | 62.6% | 42%Footnote 6 |
| Charities – responding to simple applications | Our goal is to respond to simpleFootnote 7 applications for charitable registration within two months, upon receipt of a complete application | 80% | 90.9% | 91.2% | 87.8% |
| Charities – responding to regular applications | Our goal is to respond to regular applications for charitable registration within six months, upon receipt of a complete application | 80% | 99% | 94.7% | 86.1% |
| Rulings and interpretations | Target | 2013-14 | 2014-15 | 2015-16 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GST/HST rulings and interpretations – telephone enquiries | Our goal is to respond to calls in the queue within two minutes | 80% | 95% | 93.2% | 86% |
| GST/HST rulings and interpretations – written enquiries | Our goal is to respond to written requests for GST/HST rulings and interpretations within 45 business days of Canada Revenue Agency receipt of the request and all the relevant facts and supporting documentation. This excludes highly technical and precedent and/or policy-setting rulings and interpretations. | 80% | 74% | 83% | 74%Footnote 8 |
| Advance income tax rulings | Our goal is to issue advance income tax rulings within 90 business days of receipt of all essential information from the client | 85% | 75% | 81% | 87% |
| Technical interpretations | Our goal is to issue technical interpretations within 90 business days of receipt of all essential information from the client | 85% | 87% | 88% | 87% |
| Issue resolution | Target | 2013-14 | 2014-15 | 2015-16 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First contact letter for disputes | Our goal is to acknowledge taxpayer disputes within 30 calendar days after we receive them | 85% | 85.2% | 91.5% | 87.2% |
| Service Complaints – two-day acknowledgement | Our goal is to acknowledge receipt of the complaint within two business days | 80% | 85.8% | 98.3% | 98.5% |
| Service Complaints – 30 day resolution | Our goal is to resolve the complaint within 30 business days | 80% | 95.3% | 95.9% | 91.8% |
| Enquiries and requests | Target | 2013-14 | 2014-15 | 2015-16 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| e-Services Helpdesk – telephone service level | Our goal is to respond to calls in the agent queue within two minutes | 80% | N/A | 81% | 80.9% |
| General enquiries – telephone service level | Our goal is to respond to calls in the agent queue within two minutes | 80% | 80% | 81% | 81% |
| Canada child tax benefit enquiries – telephone service level | Our goal is to respond to calls in the agent queue within two minutes | 75% | 75% | 76% | 76% |
| GST/HST credit enquiries telephone service level | Our goal is to respond to calls in the queue within two minutes | 75% | 75% | 75% | 76.1% |
| Business enquiries – telephone service level | Our goal is to respond to calls in the agent queue within two minutes | 80% | 81% | 81% | 81.4% |
| Processing a request to authorize or cancel a representative – paper | Our goal is to process your complete paper request to authorize or cancel a representative in 20 business days or less of receipt by the CRA provided the request is complete | 90% | 96.1% | 95.2% | 96.2% |
| Processing a request to authorize or cancel a representative – electronic | Our goal is to process your complete electronic request to authorize or cancel a representative in 5 business days or less of receipt by the CRA provided the request is complete | 90% | 99.4% | 97.4% | 99.7% |
| Taxpayer requests for statistical tax data | Our goal is to respond to taxpayer requests for statistical data within an average of 30 calendar days | 100% | 11 days | 11 days | 18 days |
Footnotes
- Footnote 1
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Met or mostly met (within 5% of target)
- Footnote 2
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Processing errors were identified as attributable to a deficiency in the Benefit Online Manual, which has since been corrected.
- Footnote 3
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We continue to work on the oldest enquiries first, in an effort to reduce the backlog caused by high staff turnover. Since there is a relatively low volume of enquiries, each enquiry that is completed outside the 60 day service standard will have a significant impact on overall results for this standard.
- Footnote 4
-
There was a shortage of available staff in Q1 and Q2 to address higher than anticipated incoming call volumes.
- Footnote 5
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Available staff diverted to support telephone program delivery.
- Footnote 6
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Shortage of available staff to address complex enquiries, and existing staff diverted to support telephone program delivery.
- Footnote 7
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An application that has exclusively charitable purposes and activities and for which no further information is needed.
- Footnote 8
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In 2015-2016, the program experienced an influx of new resources. Significant time was invested in learning and coaching new officers which impacted productivity.
- Date modified:
- 2016-11-14