Tax-Filer Empowerment Canada (TFEC) issued the following statement on Budget 2023:
The long-standing partnership between the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and the tax preparation and software industry is an exceptional service delivery model with Canadians at the forefront. It delivers many free, accessible, affordable, and easy-to-use tax filing options that ensure Canadians receive their maximum refund and benefits to which they are entitled.
Canadian tax filers are best served by a system that keeps the role of the tax collector, investigator, auditor and enforcer, separate. The separation of these roles enshrines the right of Canadians to independently prepare and file their income taxes with impartial and client-focused services provided by our members, while enabling the CRA to focus its efforts on assessing tax returns and taking enforcement action when necessary.
A guiding principle of Tax-Filer Empowerment Canada (TFEC) is to assist Canadians with their financial health and well-being. We are proud to say that we connect millions of Canadians to their benefits, and we advocate for Canadians to get their fair share even in instances when the CRA may believe that taxpayers are entitled to less.
We are also proud of our efforts to collaborate with the Government of Canada to identify ways to simplify filing for vulnerable Canadians who are currently missing out. We share Budget 2023’s aim of ensuring that low-income Canadians who have not filed taxes yet need access to benefits, which is why some of our members have actively worked to offer free filing options that are as simple as possible for the user, and why some members have sponsored and supported tax clinics alongside efforts by non-profit organizations.
We know there is more work to do, and TFEC remains ready and willing to collaborate with the Government of Canada on innovative and creative ways to reach even more non-filers. We believe an approach that builds on our industry’s IT expertise and innovation offers a faster, more effective pathway to reach Canadians from coast to coast. More expensive government IT projects are not the answer.
As tax season continues, TFEC members will continue working with Canadians to promote safe and secure tax filing, always with the same goal: ensuring access to all eligible benefits and the largest possible tax refund for Canadian tax filers.
TFEC also reiterates its call for the federal government to move forward on long-promised legislation to enhance digital tax filing through measures such as electronic signature.
About Tax-Filer Empowerment Canada
Formed in 2018, TFEC is a 12-member national industry association, composed of Canada’s leading tax preparation and software firms. TFEC members’ services are widely available across Canada, and the organization collaborates closely with the CRA, Revenu Quebec, and other provincial bodies to ensure all Canadians have access to impartial, accurate, and accessible tax preparation and software options.
For more information on TFEC and for all media inquiries, please contact:
Dan Pfeffer
Executive Director
Tax-Filer Empowerment Canada
dan.pfeffer@tfec-acdr.ca
Website: www.tfec-acdr.ca