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Canada Revenue Agency


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Chapter 3 – Moving Forward With the Agency’s Strategic Themes

In its most recent report on plans and priorities, the CRA set a suite of three strategic themes through which it will further pursue its key objectives:

  • providing better service to Canadians;
  • offering more efficient and effective delivery of government programs; and
  • fostering closer working relationships with and better accountability to its clients (federal, provincial, territorial and First Nations government organizations).

Summary of the Strategic Themes

The CRA pursues a strategy based on three themes:
  • a core business capacity that is well defined, modern and high performing;
  • a governance model that reflects the best possible blend of accountability, rigour and sensitivity; and
  • the pursuit of new business opportunities that the Agency could deliver on behalf of current and new clients.

Theme One: Building a Strong and Modern Core Business

The Agency’s focus is its core tax, benefits and revenue business. Agency 2010 recognizes that the Agency’s continuing success depends on its ability to sustain and enhance the effectiveness of its core business capabilities. To promote a stronger, modernized core business, the Agency is further strengthening its program integrity with an efficient and effective high-volume processing capacity and IT infrastructure, and a skilled workforce. Key strategies for meeting ongoing challenges are outlined in Chapter 4 Achieving Our Strategic Outcomes.

Expected Result and Key Activities

Expected result: A well-defined and high-performance business capacity capable of responding effectively to change. To achieve this result, the Agency will

  • promote productivity, efficiency and effectiveness gains on an ongoing basis in the Agency’s core business by undertaking a review of business processes and geography of work;
  • ensure that the Agency has the capacity to deliver high-quality, effective and cost-efficient programs and services through investing strategically in required systems and technology, based on improved business cases and selection criteria;
  • continue to analyze and address compliance risks;
  • align service delivery to respond to taxpayers’ and benefit recipients’ needs through the development of a CRA service strategy; and
  • invest in the skills and development of the Agency’s workforce and in a strong management cadre, by providing training, and promoting continuous development, effective recruitment, and the retention of quality employees.

Theme Two: Maturing the Governance Model

The Agency will further develop its unique governance model to strengthen planning and decision making at all levels and to ensure alignment of resources with priorities. Accountability to Parliament and the Agency’s government clients will be improved through an enhanced focus on reporting and responsiveness to needs.

Expected Result and Key Activities

Expected result: A governance model that enhances accountability, rigour and effective management practices. To achieve this result, the Agency will:

  • improve the accountability framework by developing Agency success measures and a management oversight framework that will allow the Board of Management to annually review the Agency’s management strengths and suggest areas for improvement; and
  • enhance accountability and reporting to clients by developing service arrangements and annual work plans, designating a point of client contact with the appointment of account executives, and improving annual reports to the provinces and territories by strengthening linkages with other CRA reporting documents.

Theme Three: Pursuing New Business Opportunities

Consistent with its objectives, the CRA is committed to seeking opportunities to increase the number of tax and benefit programs that it administers on behalf of federal, provincial and territorial clients. Such action would have direct benefits for Canadians, businesses and governments. It would provide a better service interface because individuals and businesses would be able to contact only one organization, the CRA, about a number of government programs. It would reduce the compliance burden because the CRA would be able to integrate information requirements and follow-on activity. Further, it would reduce the cost of administration for governments by eliminating the duplication of activities and achieving economies of scale.

As part of its ongoing process of identifying possible new business opportunities, the CRA regularly consults with other departments and agencies to ensure they support the direction the CRA is considering. These consultations also provide an opportunity for departments and agencies to explore other services or functions the Agency could perform on their behalf.

However, new business will be assumed only when it can be accommodated with current core business services and in consultation with the Department of Finance Canada, where appropriate. Before accepting new business opportunities, the CRA will take a number of factors into consideration: the capacity of the Agency’s service delivery platform, IT systems and workforce; the value for the Agency of increased productivity, better service or improved compliance; and the achievement of positive public policy outcomes.

Expected Result and Key Activities

Expected result: A simpler, more integrated tax and benefit administration at lower total cost for governments across Canada. To achieve this result, the Agency will

  • implement the agreement to administer Ontario’s corporate taxes;
  • seek and implement other opportunities where there are public policy benefits; and
  • improve communication about business development to the Agency’s clients and stakeholders, through a communications strategy and various business development promotions that articulate the Agency’s strengths and values as a delivery agent and partner.