Compliance
Navigating CRA’s 2026-27 Departmental Plan: Compliance & Administration Updates You Should Know
CRA’s 2026-27 Departmental Plan lays out big changes to compliance, enforcement, and digital service-delivery – you’ll want to understand what they mean for your filing and reporting.
By NomadicTax Research Team • 5-8 min read • April 3, 2026
## What is the Departmental Plan?
The CRA’s **2026-27 Departmental Plan**, published within past 30 days, sets the agenda for how Canada’s revenue agency will update its tax administration, compliance, and service delivery priorities. ([canada.ca](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/corporate/about-canada-revenue-agency-cra/departmental-plan/2026-27-cra-departmental-plan.html?utm_source=openai))
## Key Compliance & Administration Changes
### 1. Automatic Federal Benefits & Tax Filing Expansion
- For the **2026 tax year**, the CRA will begin **automatically filing taxes** for low-income Canadians with simple financial situations.
- This expands into **pre-filled tax returns** for up to **5.5 million Canadians** by **2028**, particularly coinciding with the expansion of the SimpleFile service. ([canada.ca](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/corporate/about-canada-revenue-agency-cra/departmental-plan/2026-27-cra-departmental-plan.html?utm_source=openai))
### 2. Tax Relief on Filing Services and Burdens
- CRA is investing in **My Account portal enhancements**, including real-time status updates, secure messaging, and **digital identity validation**.
- Effort to simplify forms, schedule removal in many provinces, and make secondary tax schedules more streamlined.
### 3. Stronger Enforcement & Compliance in High-Risk Areas
- Targeted audits in real estate, non-resident investors, and GST/HST refund schemes.
- Increased use of advanced analytics and AI to detect non-compliant or fraudulent behaviour.
- More international cooperation and work with agencies to identify cross-border issues. ([canada.ca](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/corporate/about-canada-revenue-agency-cra/departmental-plan/2026-27-cra-departmental-plan.html?utm_source=openai))
### 4. Service Modernization & Efficiency
- Winding down of certain regimes like the Digital Services Tax and fuel charge.
- The CRA will also scale down legacy business units that no longer align with current government priorities.
- More automation and digital self-service options to reduce processing times and improve taxpayer experience. ([canada.ca](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/corporate/about-canada-revenue-agency-cra/departmental-plan/2026-27-cra-departmental-plan.html?utm_source=openai))
## What This Means for You (Individual & Business)
- **Individuals with low income** may see their tax filings handled automatically — just review and approve where required.
- Businesses need to ensure compliance particularly in GST/HST regime, declarations of property income, and for non-residents.
- Non-resident taxpayers should pay closer attention to audit risks especially for real estate and cross-border income.
- Tax preparers will see changing workload with fewer manual forms and more digital requests for supporting documents.
## Actionable Advice
- Keep **good records**, especially for GST/HST, real-estate income, non-resident sources.
- Register for CRA digital services (My Account, My Business Account) to access improvements as soon as available.
- Review correspondence and notices carefully — automated filings and digital messaging might require active follow-through.
- If involved in non-resident or cross-border operations, consult with a specialist to manage exposure to new audit tools.
## Summary
CRA’s plan for 2026-27 signals a shift toward greater **automation, simplification, and rigorous enforcement** in high risk sectors. Whether you're filing as an individual, running a business, or managing non-resident affairs, getting ahead means adapting recordkeeping, moving to digital tools, and being proactive about compliance.