Toronto/CMEDIA: Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) data review revealed about $14 billion in COVID-related benefits was given to ineligible individuals because they didn’t meet the income requirements.
Given under the Canadian emergency response benefit (CERB) or Canada recovery benefit (CRB), most of that money ($2,000/month) was paid by CRA to those forced to stop working during the pandemic and couldn’t get EI.
After CRA began informing people in 2022 that a repayment was due, It has recouped about $4 billion.
But $10 billion is still outstanding.
Also read: Canadians told to pay back CERB say eligibility requirements were unclear
Also read: CRA warns 213,000 Canadians that they might have to pay back CERB overpayments
In a statement the CRA reportedly said that although it’s sensitive to the financial pressures facing Canadians, it will take legal action against those trying to avoid repayment and recover the debt including “offsetting refunds and future credits and garnishing wages or other sources of income.”
Taxpayers group demands accountability
The CRA says it gave out approximately $84 billion in COVID-19 benefits to individuals during the pandemic. Following contest by thousands for their eligibility status, CRA reversed $246M in pandemic benefit debts
