Whereas:

• Over the past several years, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has moved to a system for authorizing representatives only through online access using a CRA “My Account”;

• This shift to online-only authorization has disproportionately affected seniors, persons with disabilities, and Canadians who lack computer skills, reliable internet access, or digital literacy, creating barriers to accessing tax services;

• Many affected Canadians rely on trusted tax preparers or agents to assist them with meeting their tax obligations, and the current authorization system effectively prevents timely and practical access to that assistance;

• Prior to these changes, authorized tax preparers using certified tax software were able to process taxpayer authorizations securely and efficiently on behalf of their clients;

• While preventing fraud is a legitimate and important objective, the current system unfairly penalizes the vast majority of compliant tax preparers and taxpayers due to the actions of a small number of bad actors;

• Modern technology allows the CRA to monitor electronic filing activity and identify fraudulent behaviour, enabling enforcement actions to be targeted at those who commit fraud rather than imposing broad restrictions on all users.

 

We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to direct the CRA to:

• Restore the previous method for authorizing tax preparers who are approved efilers using certified software to process taxpayer authorizations on behalf of their clients, ensuring accessibility for seniors and Canadians without digital access or skills; and

• Ensure that fraud prevention measures are targeted at offenders, including lifetime bans for those who abuse the system and appropriate criminal prosecution, rather than imposing blanket restrictions that create unnecessary barriers for the majority of taxpayers and tax professionals.