In my latest review of the CVITP’s performance, I found that in the 2024 tax season, at best 27% of Canadians living in poverty in 2023 received free CVITP assistance. That leaves a staggering 73% without help.

Where did they turn? Some filed on their own, some paid for costly commercial services, and others likely didn’t file at all — cutting themselves off from the very benefits designed to reduce poverty. Barriers like lack of awareness, limited access to clinics, and overwhelming demand for the service all play a role.

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has long identified the CVITP as its contribution to Canada’s Poverty Reduction Strategy.  Yet since 2022, it has set no real performance targets for assisting more people.  Surprisingly, the CRA’s Departmental Plan for fiscal year 2025-2026 includes one: a promise to increase the number of people helped by 5%.

This article digs into why the CRA’s new target is less ambitious than it looks — and why Canadians concerned about poverty reduction shouldn’t be impressed.