Principal Issues: What is the Red Tape Reduction Commission
Position: See response
Reasons: See response
Ontario CTF Conference October 30, 2012
Question 1
What is the Red Tape Reduction Commission?
What is the CRA's approach to this Commission?
CRA Response
The Red Tape Reduction Commission (the "Commission") was created in January 2011 as a result of a Budget 2010 commitment to deal with Red Tape. The Federal Government has created and is responsible for approximately 2,600 regulations. The Commission held numerous discussions and consultations in order to listen to what small businesses had to say about government regulations. The Commission identified 2300 irritants about how the regulations work. Of the 2,300, 1100 related to the CRA.
The Commission heard the following issues related to the CRA:
- The law is complex
- Tax filings are recurring, cumbersome, costly and complicated
- Information is not clear and understandable
- Lack of service and professionalism
- Lack of accountability
We have identified 12 themes and 12 Action plans
The 5 main ones are:
- Information availability and clarity
- Telephone service
- Electronic services
- Accountability
- Auditor professionalism and service orientation
Why is this different from previous initiatives?
Each Action plan has an AC that is responsible and the AC has to report back on progress to Parliament thru the Annual Report.
Next Steps:
- The Government will table its Action plan shortly
- CRA has started consulting with specific small businesses, using the small business lens, to tailor its action plan
Fiona Harrison
2012-046401