CRA’S ROADMAP TO G7 GOLD-STANDARD SERVICE EXCELLENCE
As Canada accelerates toward a more digital and innovation-driven economy, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) is redefining service excellence to strengthen public trust and better serve taxpayers and businesses. While Canada’s financial sector remains strong, increased competition is essential to ensuring accessibility and affordability.
At the forefront of this transformation is the Honourable Wayne Long, MP, Secretary of State for the CRA and Financial Institutions. In an exclusive conversation with Professional Accountant Magazine Publisher Zubair Choudhry and Editor Michael Saniga, Secretary Long shares insights on CRA modernization, compliance reform, and enhanced support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), while underscoring the role of Canada’s banking system in maintaining public confidence.
Secretary Long, it’s a winter afternoon in Ottawa, the holidays are approaching, and your schedule is full, yet you appear energized rather than fatigued. How are you settling into this role?
I love it, as you can probably tell. It’s a big beast, but I like breaking big things down. These are complex files, but complexity doesn’t scare me. Systems can be improved if you focus on fundamentals, culture, and accountability.
Your approach feels less like traditional politics and more like operational leadership. How has your background shaped that mindset?
Before politics, I ran small businesses, worked in aquaculture, co-owned restaurants, and served as President of the Saint John Sea Dogs. In those roles, performance and service weren’t optional. I learned early on that if you identify a problem and don’t act on it, you’re not managing, you’re just watching. Whether it’s season-ticket holders or taxpayers, people want clarity, service, and accountability.
You had indicated you were ready to step away from politics. What changed?
I thought my chapter was done. Then Prime Minister Mark Carney called. He wanted someone comfortable challenging systems, asking hard questions, and fixing things. That’s hard to say no to. Being asked to serve as Secretary of State for the CRA and Financial Institutions is a privilege, but it also comes with a responsibility to roll up your sleeves.
The CRA is often the most visible and criticized face of government for businesses and accountants. What did you see when you arrived?
As an MP, constituents came to us when they were already frustrated. We were the last resort. When I stepped into this role, the numbers told the story. Only 34 percent of calls were being answered within service standards. Problem-resolution cases that should take days were taking six or seven weeks.
“When I stepped into this role, the numbers told the story – only 34% of calls were answered within service standards, and issues that should take days were taking weeks.”
You and Minister François-Philippe Champagne launched a 100-day service improvement plan. Now that those 100 days have passed, are you satisfied with the progress?
We’re encouraged but not complacent. We extended contracts for 770 workers, reallocated resources, and focused relentlessly on where the system was breaking down. Today, phone response rates are consistently over 70 percent, and problem-resolution timelines are down to 48-72 hours. That’s meaningful progress but it’s just the foundation.
“We cut problem-resolution timelines from six to seven weeks to 48–72 hours by fixing where the system was breaking down,” said Secretary Long.
How do these changes support accounting professionals who deal with the CRA daily?
Predictability matters. Call-back scheduling is a great example. When you know when the call is coming, you’re prepared, the agent is prepared, and everyone wins. Our goal is to make interactions more efficient so professionals can focus on advisory work not navigating bureaucracy.
You’ve emphasized technology as a solution but not a silver bullet. How do you see its role?
The CRA processes 30 million calls a year, 74 million website visits, and 2,000 tax returns per minute during peak season. You don’t fix that by hiring alone. You fix it by making the system smarter. That includes secure online account unlocking, real-time account updates, expanded call-back scheduling, and a next-generation AI platform to replace the legacy chatbot. If we reduce call volume by even 10-15 percent through better digital tools, that frees agents to do the work that requires a human.
Looking ahead to 2026 and beyond, what is your long-term vision for the CRA?
We’re building a three-to-five-year roadmap to make the CRA a gold-standard revenue agency in the G7. That’s about leadership, metrics, and culture. Service excellence isn’t accidental, it’s designed.
Tax fairness remains a major concern for Canadians. How is the CRA balancing enforcement with fairness for compliant taxpayers?
Fairness is critical. We’re focused on aggressive tax avoidance, the underground economy, and evasion but that must be done transparently and proportionately. Compliant taxpayers and small businesses should never feel punished for doing the right thing. Better data, better analytics, and smarter targeting allow us to focus enforcement where it belongs.
Turning to financial institutions, why is consumer-driven banking such a priority?
Canada’s system is stable, but it’s highly consolidated. The big six control about 93 or 94 percent of the market. That’s consolidation. Consumer-driven banking puts control of financial data back where it belongs with the consumer and the business.
You’ve also spoken positively about credit unions. What does that mean in practical terms for SMEs?
Absolutely, while Canada’s financial sector is strong and stable, it remains highly consolidated, limiting competition, innovation, and choice particularly for small businesses. Drawing on his entrepreneurial background, he noted that businesses are often locked into a single financial institution, making it difficult to move services or consolidate financial information.
“We want to make it easier for provincially regulated credit unions to take that next step because that alone increases competition,” said Secretary Long.
To address this, the government is supporting greater competition by strengthening the role of credit unions. This includes enabling provincially regulated credit unions to more easily transition to federal regulation, allowing them to compete more effectively with larger institutions and expand consumer choice.
A central pillar of this effort is consumer-driven banking (often referred to as open banking). He stressed that participation will always be voluntary and consumer-controlled, with strong safeguards. Following earlier delays, the government is proceeding with a phased approach: read-only data sharing in 2026, followed by expanded functionality in 2027, alongside the introduction of Real-Time Rail (RTR) to modernize payments.
“Consumer-driven banking will increase competition, strengthen security, and put more control back in the hands of Canadians and businesses,”
With oversight by the Bank of Canada, consumer-driven banking will reduce reliance on insecure practices such as screen scraping, improve data security, and enable businesses and individuals to securely share financial information across institutions. The result will be greater inclusion, increased competition, lower costs, and more choice shifting the balance of power back to consumers and businesses.
You’ve said, “Capital is like water it follows the easiest path.” What needs to change in Canada?
Canada hasn’t always been the best friend of capital investment. That’s changing. When government removes barriers instead of finding reasons not to act, confidence builds. Canadians understand the moment we’re in – there’s risk, but there’s enormous opportunity.
“When businesses see government removing barriers instead of finding reasons not to act, confidence grows,” said Secretary Long.
These portfolios are massive. How do you personally manage that scale?
I rely heavily on the people around me policy analysts, senior officials, people who live and breathe these systems. That allows me to stay focused on direction while the work keeps moving. This isn’t a sprint. It’s a marathon.
Final thought for accounting professionals and SMEs reading this?
We’re serious about execution. Coordination matters. Service matters. If we get culture and systems right, trust follows and that benefits businesses, professionals, and Canadians alike.
This final question is more personal. You are widely known as a very hard-working Member of Parliament, often in Ottawa and away from your family. I would like our readers to understand how you manage the balance between family life and public service. Being away from family has its challenges, but being away from Parliament also has consequences. How do you strike that balance between family and politics?
It is difficult, obviously, because you are away from home for a significant part of the year. Even during the pre-budget consultations this past summer, I was away roughly 50 out of 60 days. That reality makes it essential to have your priorities clear.
Family always comes first. Your riding is also a top priority. Beyond that, it’s about maintaining a balance between work and family. After nearly 10 years in Parliament, I’ve learned that balance comes down to focus, discipline, and having a plan.
You need to be clear about your priorities and work steadily toward them whether that’s serving the country, advancing work related to the CRA and financial institutions, or addressing local priorities in Saint John, such as waterfront development. This work is a marathon, not a sprint. You must be strategic, patient, and focused.
One of the biggest adjustments for me, coming from small business entrepreneurship, is recognizing that government is like a very large wheel that moves slowly. That can be frustrating at times, but you must stay the course. I’m now in a position where I can help move that wheel forward and contribute positively.
At the end of the day, I’m here to serve. Prime Minister Mark Carney is the right leader at the right time for this country. Canadians are fortunate to have a world-class leader with deep business and economic experience, and I believe there is strong confidence that he will guide Canada through challenging times. I truly believe that, years from now, we will look back on this period as a pivotal moment for the country and that our government is well positioned to do the right thing.
Secretary Long, thank you for taking the time to join us for this exclusive interview with Professional Accountant Magazine. We truly appreciate your insights.
Thank you, Thanks