Scrutiny of CRA push to collect on overpaid COVID benefits welcome: minister’s office
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
We need your support!
Local journalism needs your support!
As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed.
Now, more than ever, we need your support.
Starting at $15.99 plus taxes every four weeks you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website.
Subscribe Nowor call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527.
Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community!
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Add Brandon Sun access to your Free Press subscription for only an additional
$1 for the first 4 weeks*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on brandonsun.com
- Read the Brandon Sun E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
*Your next Free Press subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $20.95 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.95 plus GST every four weeks.
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 05/05/2023 (1149 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
OTTAWA – Revenue Minister Diane Lebouthillier’s office says it welcomes a federal watchdog’s decision to monitor the way the Canada Revenue Agency collects on overpayments of COVID-19 benefits.
The Office of the Taxpayers’ Ombudsperson announced Thursday it is monitoring complaints from people who say they are receiving collection letters from the CRA despite having repaid the government for pandemic benefits they did not qualify for.
The CRA announced in April it was resuming efforts to recover the money through a process it calls “offsetting,” which means that it automatically uses money from tax refunds and some benefits to settle a person’s debt with the government.
The agency says that as of April 13, more than 1.1 million notices have been sent to people with an amount owing from overpayments from COVID-related benefits, but notes that some people may have received more than one notice.
The CRA says close to $1.4 billion in COVID benefits have been repaid, including about $237 million from about 775,000 people through the use of offsetting.
The auditor general’s office reported in December that the federal government gave $4.9 billion worth of pandemic benefits to ineligible recipients, including subsidies for wages.
The CRA first started clawing back tax refunds last October.
The ombudsperson’s office said it continues to receive complaints and will launch a formal investigation into the matter if needed.
The ombudsperson says it is possible that people found out about their overpayments from other sources, such as another government department, then paid the money back without the CRA’s knowledge.
Lebouthillier’s office said the she will work with the ombudsperson where necessary.
“It is important to note that there are already systems and procedures in place between Service Canada and the CRA when an individual reimburses CERB payments,” said Jérémy Collard, the minister’s press secretary, in an email.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 5, 2023.