In Canada, the Office of the Taxpayers' Ombudsman (OTO) works to enhance the Canada Revenue Agency’s (CRA) accountability in its service and treatment of taxpayers through independent reviews of service-related complaints and systemic issues. The OTO’s role is to be an independent and impartial office that operates at arm’s length from the CRA.

The Taxpayers’ Ombudsman’s mandate is to assist, advise, and inform the Minister of National Revenue about any matter relating to CRA services provided to a taxpayer. The OTO facilitates the resolution of service-related issues, raises awareness of taxpayer service rights, and upholds these rights under the Taxpayer Bill of Rights.

The current Taxpayers’ Ombudsman for Canada, Ms Sherra Profit, was appointed in 2015. In her role, she is accountable to the Parliament of Canada as well as the Minister of National Revenue through an annual report on the activities of her office.

The most recent version of the Taxpayers’ Ombudsman’s annual report can be found at the following link: https://www.canada.ca/en/taxpayers-ombudsman/programs/reports-publications/annual-reports/annual-report-2018-2019.html.

The Taxpayer Bill of Rights

The Government of Canada established 16 rights to reinforce the CRA’s commitment to treating taxpayers with professionalism, respect, integrity, and cooperation. These rights are instrumental in helping taxpayers understand their entitlements and exercise their rights. The Taxpayer Bill of Rights also includes the Commitment to Small Business, which outlines the CRA's support for businesses by providing them with service that is effective and efficient.

For further information regarding the Office of the Taxpayers' Ombudsman, the Taxpayer Bill of Rights, or other instruments belonging to the CRA Integrity Framework, please visit the Knowledge Sharing Platform for Tax Administrations (KSPTA) at CRA Integrity eBook. If you are a CATA member and do not have an account on the KSPTA, you can register using your work email "https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/corporate/about-canada-revenue-agency-cra/taxpayer-bill-rights.html".