Recently, the CRA launched a new video, Enhancing Service to Businesses, that provides useful information for business owners on a variety of initiatives aimed at cutting red tape. These include:

— Direct deposit – A new direct deposit form, available on the CRA Web site, makes getting refunds quicker and easier. With Form RC366, you can arrange direct deposit refunds for GST/HST, payroll, and corporation income tax all at the same time and all on one form.

— Hiring Credit for Small Business – This temporary credit, extended for one year, helps small businesses offset the cost of hiring new employees by crediting up to $1,000 on their payroll account. There is no red tape because there is no application form to fill out. If you’re eligible for the Hiring Credit for Small Business, the CRA will automatically calculate the amount of your credit as the difference between the employer's portion of the employment insurance premiums you paid in 2012 and those you paid in 2013.

— Represent a Client –The GroupID feature in Represent a Client allows business owners to fill out the RC59 Business Consent Form only once in order to authorize online access for an entire group of employees, such as a payroll department. The form allows a designated group administrator to easily add or remove employees without any extra paperwork.

— Web forms – With this new service, you can now file up to 100 information returns in a single submission.

The CRA wants to help businesses meet their tax obligations by providing tools and resources to reduce the burden.