CRA Says Tax Deadline Won’t Be Extended Despite Possible Workers’ Strike

The Canada Revenue Agency headquarters is pictured in Ottawa on Aug. 17, 2020. Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) says it has no plans to extend the deadline to file taxes despite a potential strike involving thousands of workers in a labour dispute over contracts, wages, and remote work.

“There are no plans to extend the T1 tax filing deadlines, as a potential strike in no way impedes the ability of Canadians to file their taxes electronically or on paper,” a spokesperson at the agency told Global News.

“Canadians should take steps to ensure their return is filed by May 1, 2023, along with payment for any balance owing.”

The Epoch Times reached out to the CRA for further confirmation, but didn’t immediately hear back.

On April 7, the CRA said 35,000 workers represented by the Union of Taxation Employees (UTE) and the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) gave their unions a strike mandate, putting them in a legal strike position starting April 14.

In addition, PSAC also received a strike mandate from 120,000 federal government workers, employed by the Treasury Board, in the Program and Administrative Services (PA), Operational Services (SV), Technical Services (TC), and Education and Library Science (EB) bargaining group, according to an April 12 press release.

“Our members won’t take the decision to strike lightly. They know that a strike will be difficult for them and for the Canadians who depend on the services they provide,” said PSAC National President Chris Aylward. “But they’re exercising their bargaining power because they just can’t wait any longer. Their bills can’t wait. Their families can’t wait. None of us can.”

The CRA and the PSAC-UTE agreed to enter into a final round of negotiations set for April 17–20.

However, UTE said in an April 14 statement that due to the “Treasury Board’s intransigence” in bargaining with the PA, SV, TC, and EB groups, the upcoming PSAC-UTE negotiation with the CRA will likely be “very difficult.”

The CRA encouraged Canadians to file their taxes as soon as possible, warning that in the event of a strike, some services may be disrupted.

“In the event of a labour disruption, certain CRA services may be delayed or unavailable. More specifically, we anticipate there may be delays in processing some income tax and benefit returns, particularly those filed by paper, and increased wait times in our contact centres,” the agency said on its website.