25 signatures reached
To: The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of National Revenue: [email protected]
CERB Repayments - Low-Income Amnesty Appeal
Dear Minister,
When the COVID-19 Pandemic hit in March of 2020, the government of Canada acted swiftly and decisively to ensure that Canadians, who were being asked to stay home from work, would be able to do so without fearing for their financial wellbeing. The Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) was an effective way for people to meet their basic financial responsibilities and remain at home.
At first the requirements were reasonable: It was available to workers who [were]:
At first the requirements were reasonable: It was available to workers who [were]:
- residing in Canada, who were at least 15 years old
- who stopped working because of reasons related to COVID-19 or were eligible for Employment Insurance regular or sickness benefits or have exhausted their Employment Insurance regular benefits or Employment Insurance fishing benefits between December 29, 2019 and October 3, 2020
- who had 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, and
- who did not quit their job voluntarily
However, after the first period, another eligibility requirement was instated that made it virtually impossible for anyone to qualify: "When submitting a first claim, you could not have earned more than $1,000 in employment and/or self-employment income for 14 or more consecutive days within the four-week benefit period of your claim. When submitting subsequent claims, you could not have earned more than $1,000 in employment and/or self-employment income for the entire four-week benefit period of your new claim."
How can anyone, in 2020 or now, live on $1000.00 per 4 week period, when the costs of mortgages, rents, food, gas, electricity, and food have gone up to over $1000.00 per month?
Our request to the Federal Government is that they raise the eligibility limit to what is reasonable and fair in the 21st century, which is estimated to be an income of $3,000 per month. That low income – for it is low – can still enable a single adult to live on their own if their rent/mortgage is low enough to enable them to do so.
The $1,000 per month eligibility requirement is unreasonable to the working poor, retirees, and disabled adults across the country who may have received COVID benefits. By setting that income limit to $1000.00, it ensures that nobody qualified for any COVID benefits despite the fact that millions of Canadians received them; some after calling CRA every week during the Pandemic and being assured that they were eligible.
This ruling on the part of the CRA effectively changed the rules on every citizen in Canada after benefits were already approved for disbursement.
Employment and Social Development Canada has a list of Sustainable Development Goals, with the first one being "No Poverty" https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/agenda-2030/poverty.html There is also Opportunity for All – Canada's First Poverty Reduction Strategy https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/poverty-reduction/reports/strategy.html#h2.2
CERB served as a tool for poverty relief, and Statistics Canada reported that poverty went down in 2020 when the benefits were provided. For those with low incomes, those experiencing poverty, or those experiencing homelessness, CERB was instrumental in helping them through the challenges of the pandemic. The money they received was spent to meet basic needs: paying rent/mortgage, paying bills, and paying for food.
Since 2022, many Canadians are being told they must pay that money back, even if they had qualified. Some have already paid back thousands of dollars from clawbacks of their tax returns, Carbon Tax Rebates, and GST Rebates. For most low-income people and seniors who are being targeted for CERB repayment, the reality is - they will not be able to repay. If the federal government takes collection action against people living on fixed incomes, GIS and disability assistance and the like, it will be disastrous and will only drive people deeper into poverty.
Since 2022, many Canadians are being told they must pay that money back, even if they had qualified. Some have already paid back thousands of dollars from clawbacks of their tax returns, Carbon Tax Rebates, and GST Rebates. For most low-income people and seniors who are being targeted for CERB repayment, the reality is - they will not be able to repay. If the federal government takes collection action against people living on fixed incomes, GIS and disability assistance and the like, it will be disastrous and will only drive people deeper into poverty.
Spending time and resources pursuing individuals with no money to repay their debts is fruitless. Clawing back the money through carbon rebates, GST rebates, and tax returns, EIA, wage reductions, or fines will only ensure that those who are already struggling will struggle more.
It is in the best interest of all Canadians to provide a low income CERB repayment amnesty. After all, the reduction of poverty has been a top goal of the Federal Government since 2015.
Please consider taking this necessary and equitable step in reducing the burden
for many.
for many.
Sincerely,
[Name of participant]
[Address / postal code]
Why is this important?
There always have, and there always will be, people who will "work the system" to get as much money as they can; particularly during a crisis. When the Pandemic hit in 2020, it put the whole world into a state of emergency as everything shut down in response. CERB was put into place to help those who all of a sudden had to stay home, or who had to suffer cut, or even lost wages.
At first the eligibility requirements were reasonable: It was available to workers who [were]:
At first the eligibility requirements were reasonable: It was available to workers who [were]:
- residing in Canada, who were at least 15 years old
- who stopped working because of reasons related to COVID-19 or were eligible for Employment Insurance regular or sickness benefits or have exhausted their Employment Insurance regular benefits or Employment Insurance fishing benefits between December 29, 2019 and October 3, 2020
- who had 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, and
- who did not quit their job voluntarily
However, after the first period, another eligibility requirement was instated that made it virtually impossible for anyone to qualify: "When submitting a first claim, you could not have earned more than $1,000 in employment and/or self-employment income for 14 or more consecutive days within the four-week benefit period of your claim. When submitting subsequent claims, you could not have earned more than $1,000 in employment and/or self-employment income for the entire four-week benefit period of your new claim."
This ruling on the part of the CRA effectively changed the rules on every citizen in Canada after benefits were already approved for disbursement.
How can anyone, in 2020 or now, live on $1000.00 per 4 week period, when the costs of mortgages, rents, food, gas, electricity, and food have gone up to over $1000.00 per month?
The $1,000 per month eligibility requirement is unreasonable to the working poor, retirees, and disabled adults across the country who may have received COVID benefits. By setting that income limit to $1000.00, it ensures that nobody qualified for any COVID benefits despite the fact that millions of Canadians received them; some after calling CRA every week during the Pandemic and being assured that they were eligible. Even people on social benefits get more than $1000.00 per month, which is not enough to live on.
Spending time and resources pursuing individuals with no money to repay their debts is fruitless. Clawing back the money through carbon rebates, GST rebates, and tax returns, EIA, wage reductions, or fines will only ensure that those who are already struggling will struggle more.
It is in the best interest of all Canadians to provide a low income CERB repayment amnesty. After all, the reduction of poverty has been a top goal of the Federal Government since 2015.