08/31/2026
Did you know that as per Right 11 of the Taxpayer Bill of Rights, you have the right to expect the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) to be accountable?
Accountability is about doing the right thing, especially when mistakes happen. When an organization takes responsibility and corrects its errors, it helps build trust and fairness.
The following is a fictional but plausible scenario created for educational purposes:
Sarah filed her personal income tax return, which included expenses related to a small business she operates from her home. Shortly afterward, the CRA sent her a letter requesting supporting documents for those expenses. Sarah promptly sent the requested documents upon receiving the letter. However, the CRA later sent her a letter denying the expenses, claiming it had not received the documents.
Feeling the process was unfair, as she had already submitted the documents, Sarah filed a complaint with the CRA's Service Feedback Program (SFP). She requested that the CRA locate the documents and apply them as originally intended. In its response, the SFP acknowledged that a mailroom error had caused the documents to be misdirected and apologized for the mistake. However, despite this admission, the CRA still failed to process the documents.
Sarah then filed a complaint with our Office. After reviewing the SFP's response and conducting an examination, we concluded that the CRA could have processed the documents once it became aware of the mailroom error. Additionally, we found that the CRA’s failure to take corrective action demonstrated a lack of accountability in addressing its mistake. We submitted a request for action, asking the CRA to process the documents as initially requested. The CRA agreed to do so.
Have you ever experienced a situation where the CRA wasn’t accountable for their errors? Share your story in the comments below or visit our website to learn more about your rights:
https://ow.ly/E54U50Zy6S0
