NATIONAL Revenue Minister Diane Lebouthillier on Tuesday, in response to the report “Call Centres—Canada Revenue Agency” in the 2017 Fall Reports of the Auditor General of Canada, said the government has launched a three-point action plan to modernize CRA call centres, which focuses on technology, training its agents, and updating its service standards.

She said that as National Revenue Minister one of her priorities is to ensure that the Canada Revenue Agency offers quality service and treats Canadians as valued clients, not just as taxpayers.

Lebouthillier said: “For millions of Canadians, our call centres are their first choice to interact with the Agency. Our clients have a right to receive information that is clear and precise, when they need it. We have made strides to improve our service over the last two years by hiring more agents, increasing self-serve options, and implementing measures that will allow our clients to reach our agents more readily. However, there remains work to be done, and the Auditor General’s recommendations will help us make the necessary adjustments.”

She added: “Beginning in 2018, our clients will see numerous improvements when we implement a new telephone platform in our call centres. This platform will connect Canadians with agents more efficiently and will inform callers of current wait times. Additionally, a new national quality control team will be put in place to improve agent tools and training. Finally, we will update our service standards to provide Canadians with clearer and more transparent information about the service they can expect from our call centres.

“Budget 2016 invested more than $50 million over four years to improve the CRA’s call centre service, for which funding had been reduced considerably over the years. This investment was necessary and will improve the quality of the service we offer Canadians, who remain at the heart of our decisions and actions.”