The Canada Revenue Agency says it has sent out 441,000 letters warning individuals that they may not be eligible for the Canada Emergency Response Benefits they received.
Described as “education letters” by a CRA spokesperson, the letters were sent to those for whom the agency said it was “unable to confirm … employment and/or self-employment income of at least $5,000 in 2019, or in the 12 months prior to the date of their application” — one of the key criteria for the CERB program.
In the past several weeks, many Canadians have reported they received such letters and now fear they’ll have to repay thousands of dollars in benefits.
The new figure provided by CRA suggests how broad the problem might be. According to federal figures, 8.9 million Canadians applied for CERB. That means nearly 5 per cent of applicants have received letters saying they may not be eligible and could be forced to repay benefits.
Many of those affected have argued that the federal government never clearly defined how the $5,000 amount would be calculated. Some point to the CERB application, which asks if the person received “a minimum of $5,000 (before taxes) in the last 12 months, or in 2019 …” but makes no explicit mention of expense deductions.
In emails to CBC News, the CRA says it has been clear about how it defines income.
“The CRA considers self-employment income as the net pre-tax income (gross income less expenses). This is consistent with how self-employment income is calculated when dealing with the CRA. To be clear, there has been no change to this position during the lifecycle of the CERB,” a CRA spokesperson told CBC News earlier this month.
The CRA also said the employment income requirement has been publicized on Canada.ca “since the beginning” on a Q&A page for self-employed and independent workers.
However, a CBC News search of archived internet pages shows that information was added sometime after April 21 — about two weeks after the program opened for applications.
WATCH: Repaying CERB benefits
Some Canadians are getting letters from the Canada Revenue Agency, suggesting they could have to repay thousands of dollars in CERB money because they may not have been eligible to receive it in the first place. 6:54
The CRA says that not everyone who receives a letter will be required to repay their CERB benefits. Recipients are encouraged to complete their 2020 tax returns to help the CRA correctly identify the benefits and credits to which they are entitled.
The letter says that those who do owe CERB money are encouraged to repay by Dec. 31. A CRA spokesperson said this is for tax filing purposes, not a repayment deadline.
A promise of ‘flexibility’
“If you are unable to immediately repay the amount,” reads a sample of the warning letter provided to CBC News, “we can make an arrangement to give you more time and flexibility based on your ability to pay.”
In fact, the CRA has suspended collection activity on new debt during the pandemic. The agency has said it will resume collecting on debts, including CERB payments, “when it is responsible to do so.”
Some of those who received letters from the CRA say they spent their CERB benefits on basic needs such as groceries and rent. They say they fear they would not be able to repay the money if asked.
Asked about the situation in question period last week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau suggested the government had been clear from the beginning about the pandemic supports it has offered Canadians.
“The rules did not change, but we indicated to Canadians that we will work with them if people made good-faith mistakes,” he told the House of Commons.
CRA’s most recent run of warning letters is in addition to the 213,000 letters the agency sent out in November. Those letters were addressed to Canadians who applied for CERB through both Service Canada and the CRA, and warned them that repayment may be required.
The CRA says it’s possible that some Canadians received both letters.
EDMONTON – RCMP say a second suspect has been arrested in the killing of an Alberta county worker.
Mounties say 28-year-old Elijah Strawberry was taken into custody Friday at a house on O’Chiese First Nation.
Colin Hough, a worker with Rocky View County, was shot and killed while on the job on a rural road east of Calgary on Aug. 6.
Another man who worked for Fortis Alberta was shot and wounded, and RCMP said the suspects fled in a Rocky View County work truck.
Police later arrested Arthur Wayne Penner, 35, and charged him with first-degree murder and attempted murder, and a warrant was issued for Strawberry’s arrest.
RCMP also said there was a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Strawberry, describing him as armed and dangerous.
Chief Supt. Roberta McKale, told a news conference in Edmonton that officers had received tips and information over the last few weeks.
“I don’t know of many members that when were stopped, fuelling up our vehicles, we weren’t keeping an eye out, looking for him,” she said.
But officers had been investigating other cases when they found Strawberry.
“Our investigators were in O’Chiese First Nation at a residence on another matter and the major crimes unit was there working another file and ended up locating him hiding in the residence,” McKale said.
While an investigation is still underway, RCMP say they’re confident both suspects in the case are in police custody.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
RICHMOND, B.C. – The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says the 26-year-old son of a man found dead on British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast has been charged with his murder.
Police say 58-year-old Henry Doyle was found badly injured on a forest service road in Egmont last September and died of his injuries.
The homicide team took over when the BC Coroners Service said the man’s death was suspicious.
It says in a statement that the BC Prosecution Service has approved one count of first-degree murder against the man’s son, Jackson Doyle.
Police say the accused will remain in custody until at least his next court appearance.
The homicide team says investigators remained committed to solving the case with the help of the community of Egmont, the RCMP on the Sunshine Coast and in Richmond, and the Vancouver Police Department.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
VANCOUVER – Mediated talks between the union representing HandyDART workers in Metro Vancouver and its employer, Transdev, have broken off without an agreement following 15 hours of talks.
Joe McCann, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1724, says they stayed at the bargaining table with help from a mediator until 2 a.m. Friday and made “some progress.”
However, he says the union negotiators didn’t get an offer that they could recommend to the membership.
McCann says that in some ways they are close to an agreement, but in other areas they are “miles apart.”
About 600 employees of the door-to-door transit service for people who can’t navigate the conventional transit system have been on strike since last week, pausing service for all but essential medical trips.
McCann asks HandyDART users to be “patient,” since they are trying to get not only a fair contract for workers but also a better service for customers.
He says it’s unclear when the talks will resume, but he hopes next week at the latest.
The employer, Transdev, didn’t reply to an interview request before publication.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
