The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) will not extend this year’s tax deadline despite a federal public service strike that has affected 39,000 of its workers. The CRA staff are among 159,000 members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada who went on strike on April 19 over wages and work flexibility. Critics argue that the strike will make it harder for Canadians to file personal income tax returns by the May 1 deadline, with CRA phone lines closed or wait times stretching into hours.

Many Canadians have expressed concern about the impact of the strike, particularly on low-income Canadians and seniors who may not have access to knowledgeable accountants and need to call the CRA.

An online petition has been launched calling for the CRA to extend the personal tax filing deadline from May 1 to June 15, which has garnered over 26,000 signatures.

Despite this, Minister of National Revenue Diane Lebouthillier maintained that the government’s stance will not change, stating that the work stoppage does not prevent Canadians from submitting or filing their taxes online or on paper by the deadline. The CRA says that although its phone lines are closed or operating at “reduced agent capacity,” the filing deadline has not changed, and overdue taxes are subject to penalties and interest. However, the agency may provide relief from penalties or interest if circumstances beyond the control of a Canadian or business prevent them from meeting their tax obligations.