Good afternoon, Mr. Chair, vice-chairs and members of the committee. Thank you for inviting me to discuss the findings of the Fall 2013 Report of the Auditor General of Canada, specifically as they relate to the delivery of online services by the Canada Revenue Agency.
The Canadian tax system is based on self-assessment and voluntary compliance. Canadians are responsible for determining their tax liability, filing their tax returns, and paying the taxes they owe on time and voluntarily. We believe they will be more likely to comply with their tax obligations if we make it as easy as possible for them to do so. One of the best ways we know of to facilitate voluntary compliance is by continuing to expand and enhance our extensive suite of online services.
The CRA's secure online portals, My Account for individuals, My Business Account, and Represent a Client, allow Canadians to manage their affairs on a self-serve basis. There has been a substantial increase in the number of enrolments in recent years, a positive sign that these services are meeting the needs and expectations of the people and businesses we serve.
As the Auditor General observed, the CRA made over 40 improvements to its online services between 2009 and 2012, with an investment of just over $6.4 million. One of our latest initiatives is Submit Documents, a secure method for taxpayers and their representatives to send supporting documents and receipts to the CRA.
As part of our service strategy, we have made a concerted effort to promote online filing of tax returns. During the 2013 tax-filing season, a record 76% of individual tax returns, 64% of the GST/HST returns, and 69.9%, so almost 70%, of corporate tax returns were filed electronically. Each of these figures represents a significant increase in volume over the prior years.
The Auditor General recommended that Employment and Skills Development Canada—I see that I have the same—