2016-0672771M4 Dedicated Telephone Service for Service Providers

Principal Issues: The CRA should create a telephone line dedicated to accounting professionals.

Position: The CRA’s Income Tax Rulings Directorate will pilot a dedicated telephone service for service providers in July of 2017.

Author: Posadovsky, Tom
Section: -

November 17, 2016

XXXXXXXXXX

Dear XXXXXXXXXX:

Thank you for your correspondence suggesting that the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) create a telephone and fax line dedicated to accounting professionals. Thank you also for your understanding regarding the delay of this response.

Service excellence is the CRA’s top priority. Budget 2016 proposed some initiatives to address the Government of Canada’s commitment to service excellence. One such initiative is a pilot program for a new dedicated telephone service (DTS) for income tax service providers. The CRA developed this initiative based on consultations with the accounting profession.

As you know, income tax service providers play a key role in income tax compliance. The DTS will be a benefit for service providers by giving them access to CRA information and helping with complex income tax technical enquiries. The DTS will make sure service providers have the information they need when they need it, which will help decrease the number of potential filing errors. Initial plans are to launch the three‑year pilot program in July 2017. The CRA is now working with the accounting profession to establish a suitable test population, whose size will be based on the funding received. If the pilot is successful, the DTS may be expanded to all service providers on a permanent basis.

The DTS is intended to be a technical resource for service providers rather than a problem resolution line. Therefore, DTS officers will not have access to taxpayers’ accounts. Also, the service is not intended for tax professionals, whose complex issues should be addressed by the CRA’s Income Tax Rulings Directorate, which offers advance income tax rulings and technical interpretations. You can find more information about these services in Information Circular IC70-6R7, Advance Income Tax Rulings and Technical Interpretations, available at cra.gc.ca/E/pub/tp/ic70-6r7.

Thank you again for your suggestion. I trust the information I have provided is helpful.

Sincerely,

The Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, P.C., M.P.
Minister of National Revenue

Tom Posadovsky
613-670-9040
2016-067277

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