I've been trying to get in contact with someone to help my unlock my account. I need to get into it to file my taxes this year.

I've tried calling them MULTIPLE times (1-800-959-8281) and I never get the opportunity to get a hold of anyone that can help me, and the phone tree that you deal with otherwise doesn't help either, instructing me to get a hold of a CRA representative to unlock my account, which I'm trying to do!!

When I call, there is no queue, and I'm told to "call back later", and the "wait time" on the webpage where I got the above number states that the wait time for that number is "unavailable".

Is there another phone number that I'm unaware of that can get me in contact with a person to help me unlock my account?

"Due to high demand, All of our agents are currently busy and our agent queues are full. If you still want to speak to an agent, please call back later."

Is the CRA still reeling from the strike or something? What exactly is causing the phone lines to be so clogged up? I've called 4 seperate days this week for a total of over 80 calls.

I finally got through after 56 calls and it connected me to a BMO call center. They were confused and said they would give me the number for the CRA, and the number they gave me was the number I was talking to them on. I was so happy I finally got through and now I'm back where I started because the phone line connected me to the wrong call center. They ended up saying they would transfer me to the right call center and they just transfered me to the self service robot that is completely useless for what I need.

after 74 calls it actually put me into a queue... which is over 3 hours long so they will be closed by the time they get to me. At least I know it's possible to get into the queue now. I'm going to sit in the queue until they kick me off but most likely I'll be trying again next week. It's incredible how our country has such an awful system for contacting the CRA. I shouldn't have to call more than 5 times let alone over 75. I've seen people mentioning a callback system including on the CRA website but not once did it give me that option. Maybe it's not available in my province or something. Have a "queue" system that just tells you to kick rocks and try again later if there's too many people calling is INSANE for a government agency. Having my call redirected to a BMO call center when I'm calling the official CRA phone line for individuals is INSANE, I'm calling a government agency with sensitive information which now some BMO agent has because I didnt know I was talking to a different call center on the CRA official phone line.

If anyone has any idea why it's so hard to get into a queue with an agent right now I would love to know.

EDIT: I actually managed to make it through the queue before the closed for the night and the agent was able to provide me with a little bit of info that I couldn't access, basically they don't have an estimated date right now due to the complexity, and they figured that out on June 3rd and added it to my file but I can't see it on my account, they could only see it from the backend. Regardless that wasn't the point of this post, I was asking if something was happening at the CRA that was causing me to be unable to even get into a queue forcing me to call back over and over, that was answered (around 1000 CRA call center employees got layed off and a there was a tax deadline today). The BMO thing was really weird but I'm sure there's an explanation for it that makes sense. Thanks for the help those that provided answers!