2019-0809731C6 STEP 2019 - Q18 - Update re DTS

Principal Issues: Can the CRA provide an update on the status of the DTS pilot project?

Position: The DTS expanded nationally in January of 2019 to include all small and medium-sized income tax service providers across Canada. Based upon its success and reception by the tax service industry, the Government announced in Budget 2019 that it would provide ongoing funding to make the well-received DTS program permanent, improving service for the millions of Canadians who work with tax service providers each year.

Author: Posadovsky, Tom
Section: -

2019 STEP CRA Roundtable – June 7, 2019

QUESTION 18. Update re DTS

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) launched a new dedicated telephone service for income tax service providers in July of 2017. Service providers are accountants and other professionals (such as bookkeepers and lawyers) who provide general audit, accounting, tax, and other advisory services to individuals and businesses. In the previous 2018 STEP Roundtable update, the CRA indicated that if the pilot was successful, it would consider expanding the DTS nationwide and to more income tax service providers on a permanent basis.

Can the CRA provide an update on the status of the DTS pilot project?

CRA Response

The CRA understands that income tax service providers are highly influential in promoting income tax compliance in Canada. In Budget 2016, the Government announced that the CRA would pilot a new dedicated telephone support line for income tax service providers. After putting the necessary infrastructure into place, the CRA launched the Dedicated Telephone Service (DTS) pilot project in July of 2017. The objective of the DTS is to assist professionals in the business of preparing income tax returns by providing them with access to experienced CRA staff who can help with more complex technical issues.

Initially offered to eligible Chartered Professional Accountants (CPAs) in Ontario and Quebec, the DTS quickly expanded to include CPAs in Manitoba and New Brunswick, provided they prepared income tax returns for clients and met the eligibility requirements (sole proprietors or a partner or shareholder of a firm with up to three partners or shareholders). In March of 2018, the DTS was further expanded to include all eligible non-CPAs (such as bookkeepers and other tax preparers) in Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba and New Brunswick.

The DTS expanded nationally in January of 2019 to include all small and medium-sized income tax service providers across Canada (those in firms with 50 partners or less). More than 4,000 service providers were registered and had access to the DTS in time for the busy tax filing season. Feedback has been very positive, with an overwhelming majority of the respondents strongly agreeing that they are satisfied with the information and service being provided.

Based upon its success and reception by the tax service industry, the Government announced in Budget 2019 that it would provide ongoing funding to make the well-received DTS program permanent, improving service for the millions of Canadians who work with tax service providers each year.

Building on its achievements thus far, the DTS project team is currently making preparations to transition the pilot into a permanent program. This includes establishing new performance objectives as well as formulating strategies to enhance and build new relationships with industry partners and associations.

Income tax service providers who are interested in registering can visit the DTS web page for more information, including the revised eligibility criteria and details on how to register: www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/campaigns/dedicated-telephone-service.html

Tom Posadovsky
2019-080973

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