Toronto, May 3, 2023 – The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) strike remains a concern for small businesses who have unanswered questions and filing deadlines, says the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB).
CFIB was pleased when the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) and the federal government reached a tentative agreement for more than 120,000 civil servants. But as this deal doesn’t cover the 35,000 CRA workers who remain on strike, CFIB is calling on the government to introduce back-to-work legislation.
“The deadline to file personal income tax has come and gone, but CRA workers are still not back to work. Now the June 15 deadline for small businesses is fast approaching on top of the regular monthly and quarterly requirements for GST/HST and payroll taxes like Employment Insurance and Canada Pension Plan premiums. How many more days will pass until there’s a deal?” said Dan Kelly, CFIB president. “Every day the strike drags on, there’s more financial harm to small business owners. It is now time for government to legislate CRA staff back to work.”
In addition to concerns about service challenges and deadlines, small firms are worried about the implications of large-scale public service wage settlements. Since 2015, the civil service has grown by 30%, and salary expenditures for staff now exceed $60 billion.
“This is not the time for union demands for giant wage hikes. The government should not set a precedent for the remaining 20 bargaining units that are in a position to strike by letting this one drag out any longer,” Kelly said. “We hope public service unions show good faith at the bargaining table and reach a quick resolution that comes at a reasonable cost to Canadians.”
For media enquiries or interviews, please contact:
Dariya Baiguzhiyeva, CFIB
647-464-2814
public.affairs@cfib.ca
About CFIB
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) is Canada’s largest association of small and medium-sized businesses with 97,000 members across every industry and region. CFIB is dedicated to increasing business owners’ chances of success by driving policy change at all levels of government, providing expert advice and tools, and negotiating exclusive savings. Learn more at cfib.ca.