Photo: Adrian Wyld The Canadian Press The Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) paid $2,000 per month to Canadians whose jobs were lost due to public health restrictions during the pandemic.
The Canadian Press in Ottawa
March 26, 2024
- Canada
The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has fired more than 200 people for falsely claiming federal income benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The CRA says that as of March 15, 232 employees “inappropriately applied for and received” the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) and were terminated, an increase of 47 since December.
The CERB paid $2,000 per month to Canadians whose jobs were lost due to public health restrictions during the pandemic.
They must repay the CERB funds they received if they have not already done so.
The agency launched an internal review that identified 600 employees for further investigation, but not all would have been ineligible for the benefit, because some were students or employed for a specific period.
The CRA says case-by-case reviews conducted so far have confirmed that 133 employees correctly received the benefit, leaving approximately 235 files to review.
Also read
- At least 185 Canada Revenue Agency employees illegally received the CERB
- The CRA fired 120 employees who allegedly claimed the CERB without being entitled to it
- Editorial | Basic tax justice