Contract # 46558-171473/001/CY
Produced by Environics
Contract Award Date: July 7, 2016
Report Date: October, 2016
Ce rapport est aussi disponible en français.
The CRA requires data on corporate-wide issues to provide public opinion context for:
Research was designed and conducted with the general public, business decision makers and tax intermediaries to gauge:
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.
| Poor (0 to 3) | Neutral (4 to 7) | Good (8 to 10) | Don't know |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5% | 47% | 44% | 4% |
| Good (8 to 10) | Neutral (4 to 7) | Poor (0 to 3) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Have never had a problem | 51% | 14% | -- |
| Always room for improvement | 13% | 16% | 4% |
| Dislike government organizations | 2% | 12% | 28% |
| Not satisfied with interactions | 2% | 10% | 21% |
| Not familiar with them/not a lot of interaction | 3% | 10% | 1% |
| Poor service – difficult to contact | 3% | 8% | 13% |
| Dislike paying taxes | 2% | 8% | 19% |
| Poor service – too slow | 2% | 7% | 13% |
| Good service from employees | 6% | 1% | -- |
| Efficient/easy/simple process | 6% | 1% | -- |
| Disagree (0 to 3) | Neutral (4 to 7) | Agree (8 to 10) | DK | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Treats taxpayer information with confidentiality | 4% | 19% | 74% | 3% |
| Honest in dealing with taxpayers | 8% | 29% | 60% | 3% |
| Treats taxpayers with respect | 6% | 31% | 61% | 1% |
| Can be trusted to do what is right in administering taxes/benefits | 8% | 38% | 52% | 2% |
| Treats taxpayers fairly | 10% | 36% | 52% | 2% |
| Is efficient in its operations | 8% | 41% | 47% | 4% |
| Works hard at helping Canadians with tax/benefit matters | 10% | 41% | 46% | 3% |
| It is easy to understand the information the CRA provides | 12% | 44% | 42% | 2% |
QC1 Have you sent in your personal [Quebec only: federal] income tax return for 2015?
Base: all respondents (n=1,600)
QC2. Did you complete your 2015 tax return on your own, or did you receive help from someone else? (Using tax software does not count as receiving help)
Sub-sample: Those who filed their 2015 return (n=1,488)
QC3. From whom did you get help?
Sub-sample: Those who received help to file their return (n=1,106)
*Percentages shown are calculated out of the total who filed a 2015 return (n=1,488)
QC4a. How did you file your taxes? [If needed: That is, for example, did you file by mail or online?]
[If filed by someone else]: Do you know how they filed your taxes?
[If needed: That is, for example, did the individual/tax preparer file your taxes by mail or online?]
Sub-sample: Those who filed their 2015 return (n=1,488)
Percentages shown are based on those who filed a tax return in 2015
File by mail: 13%
File online: 80%
| Reasons | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Accustomed to doing the process by paper | 20% |
| Someone else is responsible for filing it | 19% |
| Feelings that electronic is too complicated | 15% |
| Do not have access to a computer at home | 13% |
| Concerns about security of sending tax information electronically | 9% |
| Not comfortable with online technology in general | 9% |
| Seems easier to do and submit it by paper | 8% |
| Want to be able to send tax receipts and other documentation | 5% |
| Tax situation is fairly straightforward | 4% |
| Tax preparation software too expensive | 4% |
| Computer/internet access is too slow | 3% |
| Other | 11% |
| No reason | 5% |
| Don't know | 3% |
QC7. Did you start filing your tax return online within the past three years?
Sub-sample: Those who filed their return online (n=1,184)
| Percentage | |
|---|---|
| Convenient/easier to use | 50% |
| Faster/quicker/more efficient | 36% |
| Accountant/bookkeeper recommended | 19% |
| Dislike physical paperwork | 8% |
| More accessible (general) | 7% |
| Family/friend recommended | 4% |
| Other | 2% |
| No reason | 2% |
| Don't know | 1% |
QC6. On a scale of 0 to 10, with 0 meaning “not at all likely” and 10 meaning “very likely,” how likely are you to start sending your returns into the CRA online within, say, the next three years?
Sub-sample: Those who filed their return by mail (n=203)
QC4b. Did you pick up a paper copy of this year’s General Income Tax and Benefits Guide to help you complete your 2015 income tax and benefit return?
Sub-sample: Those who filed their 2015 return (n=1,488)
26% picked it up.
QD1. In the last 12 months, have you contacted the CRA, other than for sending in personal or business tax returns? (Contact includes seeking information; business refers to corporate, GST/HST, or payroll)
23% have contacted CRA in the last 12 months.
QD1a.In which way have you most recently contacted the CRA in the past 12 months?
Sub-sample: Those who contacted the CRA in the past 12 months (n=353)
QSM1 Did you have any problems accessing the CRA during your most recent contact?
Sub-sample: Those who contacted the CRA in the past 12 months by telephone, fax, or mail (n=330)
| Problem | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Had to wait too long/put on hold | 46% |
| Line was busy/no answer | 20% |
| Couldn't get through (general) | 17% |
| Had to call multiple times | 10% |
| Poor/unhelpful customer service | 9% |
| Difficult to reach correct dept./had to be transferred | 8% |
| Difficulty finding the right number | 6% |
| Difficulty with automated menu | 5% |
| Other | 14% |
| Don't know | 3% |
| Purpose | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Seek general information | 43% |
| Seek clarification of information sent to you by CRA | 26% |
| Try to resolve a dispute you had with the CRA | 17% |
| Seek information about filing your taxes | 17% |
| Change information on file (i.e. address) | 11% |
| Make a payment owing on your taxes | 7% |
| Other | 4% |
| Reason | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Personal income tax | 47% |
| GST/HST issue | 17% |
| Child Tax Benefit Program | 13% |
| Estate or trust tax issue | 7% |
| Change of information | 5% |
| Business income tax | 3% |
| Notice of assessment | 1% |
| Old age security/pension | 1% |
| Other | 10% |
| Don't know | 10% |
QSM4 And how satisfied are you with the amount of time it took to get service during this most recent contact with CRA? Please use a scale from 0 to 10 where 0 means that you are completely dissatisfied and 10 means that you are completely satisfied.
Sub-sample: Those who contacted the CRA in the past 12 months by telephone, fax, or mail (n=330)
QSM5. Level of knowledge: using a scale from 0 to 10, where 0 means the CRA employees are not at all knowledgeable, and 10 means they are extremely knowledgeable, how would you rate the CRA’s employees you spoke to?
Sub-sample: Those who contacted the CRA in the past 12 months by telephone (n=289)
QD4. How satisfied are you with the overall quality of the service you received when you contacted the CRA on this most recent occasion? Please use a scale from 0 to 10, where 0 means completely dissatisfied and 10 means completely satisfied.
Sub-sample: Those who contacted the CRA in the past 12 months by telephone (n=289)
QD5. 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 by telephone (n=289)
| Seeking basic information | Needed clarification on document | Needed advice on personal tax matter | Information on how to pay income tax bill | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CRA website | 48% | 11% | 16% | 35% |
| Call CRA | 28% | 64% | 57% | 39% |
| Send CRA a fax | 1% | less than 1% | less than 1% | 1% |
| Mail CRA | 5% | 5% | 4% | 4% |
| Email CRA | 9% | 14% | 11% | 11% |
| Other | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
QSM7. 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 (n=1,600)
QSM8. If you had a disagreement with the CRA about your taxes, how confident are you that you would be able to get it resolved? Please use a scale from 0 to 10 where 0 means that you are not at all confident and 10 means that you are extremely confident.
Base: all respondents (n=1,600)
| Action | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Call them | 33% |
| Contact my accountant | 31% |
| Contact CRA by phone | 15% |
| Refile - correct through mail | 9% |
| Refile - correct online | 8% |
| Contact CRA by email | 6% |
| Contact CRA in general | 4% |
| Business income tax | 3% |
| Other | 6% |
| Don't know | 4% |
QSM10. 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: all respondents (n=1,600)
When contacting CRA by phone, able to receive service in Official Language of choice
CRA assumes taxpayers report taxes accurately unless evidence of the contrary
Information provided by the CRA is consistent
Information provided by the CRA is easy to understand
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 (n=1,600)