Benefit Programs

Processing a request to authorize or cancel a representative – Non-peak

Target:

We aim to meet this timeliness standard 90% of the time.

Communication of this Standard:

• Authorizing or Cancelling a Representative (T1013)
• General Income Tax and Benefit Guide
• CRA Web site

Access Channel: Internet; Mail/Fax

Delivery Channel: Internet

Background: Taxpayers can authorize or cancel a representative. We instituted a timeliness standard for giving effect to such instructions, and reported on it for the first time in the 2004-2005 Annual Report. In 2005-2006, we provided separate performance data for timeliness in providing this service during peak versus non-peak periods.

Performance: We have not met this timeliness standard for the last four years. In 2004-2005, a low success rate was attributable to our having conducted a quality assurance review (i.e., monitoring) immediately following a labour disruption when there was an unusual backlog, and thus not considered representative. In 2005-2006, our performance was much improved, but still fell well short of our target. In 2006-2007, our performance declined by 33%, as we had received a 400% increase in applications. This was in large part due to the interest by third parties in using the new on-line ‘Represent a client’ service. Improvement was seen in 2007-2008 after undertaking a wide range of measures to deal with this increase.

NOTE: The total number of T1013 forms received is not broken down by peak and non-peak.

Complaint and Redress Mechanisms: Service users who do not find satisfaction through the regular resolution systems may access the Problem Resolution Program. If a taxpayer remains dissatisfied with a service provided by the CRA, they have the right to file a formal complaint first with the CRA Service Complaints function then, if unresolved, with the Taxpayers' Ombudsman for final and impartial review.

Monitoring: Benefit Programs Directorate (BPD) reports on this standard once a year in the CRA’s Annual Report. In addition, after completing each monitoring project, results are emailed to headquarters and field office management who are responsible for the workload. The accuracy of the information provided by our monitoring is deemed “Good”, as both the BPD’s Accountability Team who manages the activity and the Tax Centres’ Quality Assurance representatives who assist with the task are not involved with the workflow. The Accountability Team completes the final review and report.

Taxpayer Satisfaction: No satisfaction surveys are planned.

Future Considerations: The Represent a client service was introduced on the CRA Web site in 2005-2006, and is accessible via My Account in addition to other available modes. This allows authorized representatives to authenticate themselves, register, and transact on-line on behalf of their clients. Future releases will allow representatives to access business taxpayer information as well.

Since April 2002, Benefit Programs has reported on various quality assurance projects that measured the accuracy of processing a request to authorize or cancel a representative. To complement the timeliness standard an accuracy standard was implemented on April 1, 2008.

Through the Corporate Business Plan 2007-2008, the standard has been renamed “Processing a Request to Authorize or Cancel a Representative (non-peak),” as the standard applies to all requests, not only those covered by T1013 forms, and is more representative of the service provided.