Wayne Long, the secretary of state responsible for the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and the country’s financial institutions, has criticized the service provided by CRA call center agents as “completely unacceptable.” He described the situation as having hit “rock bottom.” Despite these concerns, Long is hesitant to confirm whether there will be future budget cuts at the agency.

All federal ministers, including Long, have been instructed by the prime minister to reduce their department's daily spending by up to 15 percent over the next three years. This directive comes ahead of the Liberals’ first budget, which is expected in October. Long stated he is “not going to prejudge the review process” but assured that CRA service “will not get worse… It can’t get much worse than it is now.” He acknowledged that Canadians are experiencing long wait times, saying, “We will get this right.”

These comments were made during an interview with CTV on Monday. The Union of Taxation Employees, which represents CRA workers, attributes the call center issues to previous job cuts. Since May 2024, nearly 3,300 call center employees have lost their jobs. Treasury Board data indicates that the CRA employed 52,499 people in 2025, down from 59,155 in 2024. As a result, fewer than five percent of callers are able to reach an agent on average.

In early September, National Revenue Minister François-Philippe Champagne directed the CRA to improve its service and reduce delays. He initiated a 100-day plan aimed at addressing these issues. Long remarked, “If this was a call center selling hotel rooms, (the agency would) be out of business, and heads would roll.”

Despite recognizing the distress faced by Canadian taxpayers, Long confirmed that the CRA will reverse a decision to terminate contracts for 850 call center employees. These contracts will now extend past the upcoming tax-filing deadline.

In addition to retaining some staff, the CRA is reallocating internal resources and implementing new call scheduling tools to enhance service. The agency is also deploying targeted teams to expedite processing in high-demand areas, such as T1 adjustments, Disability Tax Credit applications, and Canada Child Benefit claims.

However, the CRA is still making cuts in other areas. It will not extend contracts for 250 term employees at tax centers. This reduction is part of a broader adjustment as programs introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic are phased out.