The CRA Is Contacting Canadians Who Were Ineligible For CERB & They'll Have To Pay It Back

The Canada Revenue Agency is officially reaching out to Canadians who were ineligible for the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit and other COVID-19 benefits.

In a May 10 press release, the Government of Canada confirmed that they would be sending out "Notices of Redetermination" to those who received the benefit but were not eligible for it.

According to the Canada Revenue Agency, the CERB helped more than 8 million workers across the country, with millions more benefiting from the Canada Recovery Benefit that followed.

The CRA and Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) are now working together to "ensure that those who received COVID-19 individual benefits were eligible for them," as stated in the press release.

"Starting today [May 10, 2022], the CRA will begin sending Notices of Redetermination (NoRs) to inform Canadians of the debts that have been established on their CRA accounts," the CRA said.

"Canadians who receive these letters, but still believe they are eligible for these payments, should contact the CRA and provide any additional information required to validate their claim."

Canadians who received CERB or CRB earned up to $2,000 per month, however, the Government of Canada left it up to Canadians to determine whether or not they were eligible for the benefit.

Now, Canadians who claimed pandemic benefits and who weren't eligible are expected to pay back the amount(s) they received.

The "Notices of Redetermination" follow the "Notices of Debt" issued back in November 2021, which were sent to those who received the $2,000 monthly payment in 2020 but did not stay on CERB long enough to "fully reconcile that payment by applying for subsequent payment periods," the CRA stated.

The ESDC has said that they will issue the remaining letters by July 2022.

While there are no penalties for Canadians who received CERB but were ineligible, the CRA has made it clear that "individuals will have to repay the emergency benefits for which they were not entitled."

Although this can all seem a bit stressful, especially if you receive one of these "Notices of Redetermination" the CRA and the ESDC will continue to support Canadians who have inquiries regarding a potential repayment through their call agents.

It's also important to note that there will also be no interest applied to any repayments.

For more information regarding COVID-19 benefit repayments, visit the CRA's website.

This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.