OTTAWA – The federal union representing Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) employees has launched the second phase of its online campaign against staffing reductions. The initiative, titled "Canada on Hold," began last month focusing on issues within CRA call centers. It has now broadened to address staffing cuts throughout the entire agency.

Marc Brière, the national president of the Union of Taxation Employees, stated that the CRA has eliminated nearly 10,000 jobs since May 2024. He emphasized that the campaign aims to shed light on how these cuts affect service delivery to both taxpayers and businesses.

As part of the campaign, the union plans to hold a rally outside the Prime Minister's Office on Friday. The goal is to urge the government to reinvest in the CRA to restore its workforce and improve service levels.

The first phase of the campaign highlighted the loss of approximately 3,300 call center positions. In response, the CRA announced it would extend contracts for about 850 call center employees.

Earlier this month, Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne established a 100-day deadline for the CRA to address delays in call center services. This comes amid broader spending cuts planned by the government across the public sector.