CRA 2016 Annual Corporate Survey Business and Tax Intermediary Results
October 2016
Contract # 46558-171473/001/CY
Produced by Environics
Contract Award Date: July 7, 2016
Report Date: October, 2016
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media.relations@cra-arc.gc.ca
1. Objectives
The CRA requires data on corporate-wide issues to provide public opinion context for:
- Strategic planning and reporting; and
- Tailoring of corporate communications.
Research was designed and conducted with the general public, business decision makers and tax intermediaries to gauge:
- overall perceptions of the CRA;
- experience with income tax filing;
- perceptions of contacts and dealings with the CRA
- methods of contact; and
- demographics.
2. Methodology
- 303 online surveys with business decision-makers
- 300 online surveys with tax intermediaries
- Conducted from July 15 and August 2, 2016
- This report highlights the results from the survey with business decision-makers and tax intermediaries
- Findings from the general public survey are presented under separate cover
3. Overall perceptions of CRA
For tracking purposes and comparability over time, a questionnaire similar to the one used for the Spring 2016 POR was developed along with new questions designed to obtain additional information.
3.1. Overall performance of CRA
QB1. How would you rate the overall performance of the CRA? Please use a scale from 0 to 10, where 0 means “terrible” and 10 means “excellent”.
Base: all respondents
| | Poor (0 to 3) | Neutral (4 to 7) | Good (8 to 10) | Don't know |
| Business (n=303) |
8% |
51% |
35% |
7% |
| Tax intermediaries (n=300) |
11% |
58% |
28% |
3% |
3.2. Reasons for performance rating
QB2. Why do you rate the performance of the CRA as [insert rating] out of 10?
Base: those who provided a valid response at QB1
|
Business (n=283) |
Tax intermediary (n=290) |
| Good customer service |
9% |
8% |
| Average service |
8% |
8% |
| No problems |
8% |
6% |
| Difficult to deal with |
8% |
7% |
| Efficient/knowledgeable |
7% |
7% |
| Inefficient |
7% |
5% |
| Poor customer service |
6% |
7% |
| Slow |
5% |
7% |
| Not easily accessible |
6% |
3% |
| Unfair tax collection process |
4% |
5% |
| Lack of knowledge |
1% |
4% |
| Other |
7% |
9% |
| Don't know |
21% |
20% |
3.3. Agreement with attributes: business
QB3. I would now like you to rate the CRA on a series of statements. Please use a scale of 0 to 10, where 0 means completely disagree and 10 means completely agree.
Base: all business respondents (n=303)
| | Disagree (0 to 3) | Neutral (4 to 7) | Agree (8 to 10) | Don't know |
| Treats taxpayer information with confidentiality |
6% |
30% |
52% |
12% |
| Honest in dealing with taxpayers |
12% |
41% |
37% |
9% |
| Treats taxpayers with respect |
16% |
44% |
33% |
8% |
| Can be trusted to do what is right in administering taxes/benefits |
18% |
46% |
31% |
6% |
| Treats taxpayers fairly |
21% |
42% |
31% |
8% |
| Works hard at helping Canadians with tax/benefit matters |
19% |
49% |
26% |
9% |
| Is efficient in its operations |
22% |
45% |
26% |
9% |
| It is easy to understand the information the CRA provides |
28% |
48% |
23% |
1% |
3.4. Agreement with attributes: Intermediaries
QB3. I would now like you to rate the CRA on a series of statements. Please use a scale of 0 to 10, where 0 means completely disagree and 10 means completely agree.
Base: all tax intermediary respondents (n=300)
| | Disagree (0 to 3) | Neutral (4 to 7) | Agree (8 to 10) | Don't know |
| Treats taxpayer information with confidentiality |
7% |
33% |
52% |
9% |
| Honest in dealing with taxpayers |
12% |
45% |
38% |
5% |
| Treats taxpayers with respect |
14% |
47% |
37% |
3% |
| Can be trusted to do what is right in administering taxes/benefits |
16% |
49% |
31% |
6% |
| Works hard at helping Canadians with tax/benefit matters |
19% |
46% |
30% |
4% |
| Treats taxpayers fairly |
16% |
50% |
29% |
5% |
| Is efficient in its operations |
20% |
48% |
28% |
4% |
| It is easy to understand the information the CRA provides |
22% |
51% |
26% |
2% |
4. Income Tax Filing and Planning
4.1. Resources used for filing and tax planning
QC1. When filing business income taxes, does your business use:
QC2. And what about tax planning? Does your business use…
Base: all business respondents (n=303)
| | Tax filing | Tax planning |
| In-house resources |
33% |
38% |
| Outside service |
41% |
30% |
| Combination of in-house and outside services |
24% |
23% |
| Don’t know |
2% |
9% |
4.2. Paperwork burden
QSM1 On a scale of 0 to 10, how burdensome for your business is paperwork for the CRA?
Base: all respondents
| | Burdensome (8 to 10) | Neutral (4 to 7) | Not burdensome (0 to 3) | Don't know |
| Business (n=303) |
25% |
52% |
21% |
1% |
| Tax intermediaries (n=300) |
26% |
59% |
12% |
2% |
4.3. Perception of burden of paperwork
QSM2 Over the past couple of years, do you think the burden of dealing with paperwork for the CRA has…?
Base: all respondents
| | Business (n=303) | Tax intermediaries (n=300) |
| Increased |
20% |
25% |
| Stayed the same |
64% |
56% |
| Decresed |
10% |
10% |
4.4. Interest in online transactions
QSM3 On a scale of 0 to 10, what is your level of interest in increased availability of online business transactions with the CRA, in order to reduce the paper burden?
Base: all respondents
| | Not interested (0 to 3) | Neutral (4 to 7) | Interested (8 to 10) | Don't know |
| Business (n=303) |
14% |
47% |
29% |
9% |
| Tax intermediaries (n=300) |
13% |
45% |
36% |
7% |
4.5. Use of services in past year
QSM4. Which of the following online services have you used in the past three years? Please choose all that apply.
Base: all respondents
|
Business (n=303) |
Tax intermediary (n=300) |
| GST/HST Netfile |
53% |
63% |
| Electronic payments |
54% |
56% |
| MyBusiness Account |
41% |
47% |
| T4 Internet filing |
29% |
47% |
| Business registration online |
25% |
33% |
| None of the above |
16% |
11% |
5. Experience with CRA - Contacts
5.1. Contacted CRA in the last 12 months and method
QD1. In the last 12 months, have you contacted the CRA, other than for sending in personal or business tax returns?
Business: 30% have contacted CRA in the last 12 months.
Tax intermediaries: 46% have contacted CRA in the last 12 months.
QD2.How did you contact the CRA?
Sub-sample: Those who contacted the CRA in the past 12 months (Business: n=90, Tax intermediary: n=139)
| | Business (n=90) | Tax intermediaries (n=139) |
| Telephone |
91% |
89% |
| Mail |
13% |
24% |
| Fax |
3% |
15% |
| Other |
6% |
6% |
5.2. Issues encountered contacting CRA: business
QSM5. Did you have any problems accessing the CRA during your most recent contact? (n=86)
Sub-sample: Those who contacted the CRA in the past 12 months
- Yes: 36%
- No: 62%
- Don't know: 2%
QSM6. What problem did you encounter?
Sub-sample: Those who experienced an issue (n=31)
| Problem | Percentage |
| On hold/long wait times |
36% |
| Busy signal |
16% |
| No answer |
10% |
| Slow/inefficient service |
10% |
| Difficulties contacting right department |
6% |
| Incorrect/lack of information |
3% |
| Other |
10% |
| Can't recall |
10% |
5.3. Issues encountered contacting CRA: Intermediaries
QSM5. Did you have any problems accessing the CRA during your most recent contact? (n=133)
Sub-sample: Those who contacted the CRA in the past 12 months
- Yes: 47%
- No: 50%
- Don't know: 3%
QSM6. What problem did you encounter?
Sub-sample: Those who experienced an issue (n=63)
| Problem | Percentage |
| On hold/long wait times |
25% |
| Busy signal |
19% |
| No answer |
10% |
| Slow/inefficient service |
8% |
| Difficulties contacting right department |
6% |
| Incorrect/lack of information |
2% |
| Other |
11% |
| Can't recall |
14% |
5.4. Purpose of most recent contact
QD4. Was the purpose of your MOST RECENT contact to…?
Sub-sample: Those who contacted the CRA in the past 12 months
| Purpose | Business (n=86) | Tax intermediaries (n=133) |
| Seek clarification of information sent to you by CRA |
43% |
41% |
| Seek general information |
23% |
24% |
| Seek information about filing business taxes |
17% |
18% |
| Try to resolve a dispute you had with the CRA |
16% |
29% |
| Make a payment owing on business taxes |
10% |
13% |
| Update information
|
5% |
5% |
| File tax/tax return |
5% |
5% |
| Other |
1% |
3% |
5.5. Satisfaction with time to obtain service
QSM7. And how satisfied are you with the amount of time it took to get service during this most recent contact with CRA?
Sub-sample: Those who contacted the CRA in the past 12 months
| | Dissatisfied (0 to 3) | Neutral (4 to 7) | Satisfied (8 to 10) | Don't know |
| Business (n=86) |
25% |
40% |
33% |
2% |
| Tax intermediaries (n=133) |
29% |
44% |
26% |
1% |
5.6. Knowledge of staff: phone
QSM8 For the following question we are asking for your impression of the service you received from the CRA (on a scale of 0 to 10) during this most recent contact.
Sub-sample: Those who contacted the CRA in the past 12 months by telephone
| | Not knowledgeable (0 to 3) | Neutral (4 to 7) | Knowledgeable (8 to 10) | Don't know |
| Business (n=77) |
12% |
30% |
53% |
4% |
| Tax intermediaries (n=113) |
13% |
52% |
33% |
2% |
5.7. Quality of service
QD5. On a scale of 0 to 10, how satisfied are you with the overall quality of the service you received when you contacted the CRA (Insert response from D3, or from D2 if D3 wasn’t asked) on this most recent occasion?
Sub-sample: Those who contacted the CRA in the past 12 months
| | Dissatisfied (0 to 3) | Neutral (4 to 7) | Satisfied (8 to 10) | Don't know |
| Business (n=86) |
12% |
43% |
42% |
2% |
| Tax intermediaries (n=133) |
16% |
49% |
35% |
0% |
5.8. Received what they needed
QD6. Did you get what you needed from the CRA on this particular occasion?
Sub-sample: Those who contacted the CRA in the past 12 months
| | Yes | No | Can't recall |
| Business (n=77) |
79% |
18% |
2% |
| Tax intermediaries (n=113) |
66% |
32% |
2% |
5.9. Preferred method for receiving information
QSM9 What about communications from the CRA to you? Would you prefer traditional paper-based communications, such as a letter in the mail, or an email indicating you have CRA correspondence within My Account, CRA’s secure online portal?
Base: all respondents
| | Business (n=303) | Tax intermediaries (n=300) |
| Secure electronic communication |
44% |
50% |
| Traditional paper-based |
43% |
36% |
| No preference |
13% |
13% |
5.10. Confidence in CRA to resolve issues: business
QSM10 Please state your level of confidence in the CRA in regards to the following statements:
Base: all business respondents (n=303)
| | Not confident (0 to 3) | Neutral (4 to 7) | Confident (8 to 10) | Don't know |
| If I had a disagreement with the CRA, I would be able to get it resolved |
21% |
47% |
20% |
12% |
| The CRA holds itself accountable for the advice it gives |
15% |
40% |
27% |
19% |
5.11. Confidence in CRA to resolve issues: Intermediaries
QSM10 Please state your level of confidence in the CRA in regards to the following statements:
Base: all intermediaries respondents (n=300)
| | Not confident (0 to 3) | Neutral (4 to 7) | Confident (8 to 10) | Don't know |
| If I had a disagreement with the CRA, I would be able to get it resolved |
20% |
48% |
25% |
5% |
| The CRA holds itself accountable for the advice it gives |
16% |
47% |
27% |
11% |
5.12. How you would correct error in business taxes
QSM11. If you wanted to fix an error in your taxes, what would you do?
Base: all respondents
| Business (n=303) | Tax intermediaries (n=300) |
| Call CRA |
17% |
26% |
| Contact accountant/lawyer |
28% |
12% |
| Contact CRA |
11% |
11% |
| Refile |
5% |
9% |
| Send a letter |
2% |
4% |
| Go online/check website |
2% |
2% |
| File an appeal |
1% |
2% |
| Send email |
1% |
2% |
| Other |
3% |
6% |
| Don't know |
29% |
26% |
5.13. Agreement with statements: Business
QSM12. I would now like to read you a list of statements. For each one, please use a scale from 0 to 10, where 0 means you completely disagree, and 10 means you completely agree.
Base: business respondents (n=303)
When contacting CRA by phone, able to receive service in Official Language of choice
- Disagree (0 to 3): 3%
- Neutral (4 to 7): 13%
- Agree (8 to 10): 71%
- Don't know/not contacted CRA: 14%
CRA assumes taxpayers report taxes accurately unless evidence of the contrary
- Disagree (0 to 3): 10%
- Neutral (4 to 7): 38%
- Agree (8 to 10): 45%
- Don't know/not contacted CRA: 9%
Information provided by the CRA is consistent
- Disagree (0 to 3): 11%
- Neutral (4 to 7): 42%
- Agree (8 to 10): 37%
- Don't know/not contacted CRA: 10%
Information provided by the CRA is easy to understand
- Disagree (0 to 3): 19%
- Neutral (4 to 7): 51%
- Agree (8 to 10): 27%
- Don't know/not contacted CRA: 3%
5.14. Agreement with statements: Intermediaries
QSM12. I would now like to read you a list of statements. For each one, please use a scale from 0 to 10, where 0 means you completely disagree, and 10 means you completely agree.
Base: intermediaries respondents (n=300)
When contacting CRA by phone, able to receive service in Official Language of choice
- Disagree (0 to 3): 4%
- Neutral (4 to 7): 19%
- Agree (8 to 10): 69%
- Don't know/not contacted CRA: 7%
CRA assumes taxpayers report taxes accurately unless evidence of the contrary
- Disagree (0 to 3): 8%
- Neutral (4 to 7): 41%
- Agree (8 to 10): 46%
- Don't know/not contacted CRA: 5%
Information provided by the CRA is consistent
- Disagree (0 to 3): 14%
- Neutral (4 to 7): 44%
- Agree (8 to 10): 37%
- Don't know/not contacted CRA: 4%
Information provided by the CRA is easy to understand
- Disagree (0 to 3): 15%
- Neutral (4 to 7): 55%
- Agree (8 to 10): 29%
- Don't know/not contacted CRA: 2%
5.15. Service comparison: Financial institutions
QD6. Based on your experience, would you say the level of customer service provided by the CRA is better, about the same, or worse than the service you might receive from financial institutions with which you currently do business.
Base: all respondents
| Business (n=303) | Tax intermediaries (n=300) |
| Better |
10% |
14% |
| Same |
48% |
58% |
| Worse |
34% |
25% |
5.16. Service comparison: Government agencies
QD6. Based on your experience, would you say the level of customer service provided by the CRA is better, about the same, or worse than the service you might receive from financial institutions with which you currently do business.
Base: all respondents
| Business (n=303) | Tax intermediaries (n=300) |
| Better |
11% |
14% |
| Same |
66% |
70% |
| Worse |
9% |
9% |
| Don't know |
15% |
7% |
6. CRA website
6.1. Visited the CRA website
QF1. Have you ever visited the CRA website to search for information on tax-related matters?
Base: all respondents
| Business (n=303) | Tax intermediaries (n=300) |
| Yes |
80% |
79% |
| No |
17% |
19% |
| Don't know |
3% |
2% |
6.2. Agreement with statements: Business
QE2. Please state your level of agreement with the following statements about the CRA website.
Sub-sample: Those who have visited the website (n=241)
| | Disagree (0 to 3) | Neutral (4 to 7) | Agree (8 to 10) |
| The information provided on the CRA website is easy to understand |
19% |
56% |
24% |
| It is easy to find the information I'm looking for |
28% |
57% |
15% |
6.3. Agreement with statements: Intermediaries
QE2. Please state your level of agreement with the following statements about the CRA website.
Sub-sample: Those who have visited the website (n=237)
| | Disagree (0 to 3) | Neutral (4 to 7) | Agree (8 to 10) |
| The information provided on the CRA website is easy to understand |
13% |
56% |
30% |
| It is easy to find the information I'm looking for |
17% |
56% |
27% |
7. Compliance Burden
7.1. Agreement with attributes: Business
QF1. "Red tape" is defined as the unnecessary and undue compliance burden – that is, the time and resources spent by business to demonstrate compliance with the federal government regulations. The CRA has focused recent efforts on reducing tax-related burden for businesses. With respect to your business, please indicate the extent to which you agree with the following statements…
Base: all business respondents (n=303)
| | Disagree (0 to 3) | Neutral (4 to 7) | Agree (8 to 10) | Don't know |
| Online services available on the website make it easy to comply |
13% |
49% |
30% |
8% |
| Able to understand information from CRA to help business meet reporting obligations |
13% |
54% |
28% |
5% |
| Over the past year, I have spent less time searching for needed information on reporting obligations |
16% |
50% |
18% |
16% |
| CRA develops new products/services that are in line with realities of doing business |
14% |
41% |
15% |
31% |
| CRA takes business needs into account when developing new products/services |
17% |
44% |
16% |
24% |
7.2. Agreement with attributes: Intermediaries
QF1. "Red tape" is defined as the unnecessary and undue compliance burden – that is, the time and resources spent by business to demonstrate compliance with the federal government regulations. The CRA has focused recent efforts on reducing tax-related burden for businesses. With respect to your business, please indicate the extent to which you agree with the following statements…
Base: all Intermediaries respondents (n=300)
| | Disagree (0 to 3) | Neutral (4 to 7) | Agree (8 to 10) | Don't know |
| Online services available on the website make it easy to comply |
8% |
51% |
39% |
3% |
| Able to understand information from CRA to help business meet reporting obligations |
10% |
55% |
32% |
3% |
| Over the past year, I have spent less time searching for needed information on reporting obligations |
13% |
52% |
27% |
8% |
| CRA develops new products/services that are in line with realities of doing business |
12% |
53% |
22% |
13% |
| CRA takes business needs into account when developing new products/services |
15% |
51% |
23% |
10% |