Â鶹´«Ã½

Business

    • What is the CERB advance payment?

    Share

    In early 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, (CERB), according to Statistics Canada. The CERB aimed to provide financial assistance to those whose jobs or livelihoods were impacted by the pandemic.

    The only problem is that not all the people who received the payment were as eligible as they thought they were.

    , Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) began issuing Notice of Debt letters (NoDs) requiring many CERB recipients to pay back all or a portion of their CERB advance payment. Today, I’ll give you some background about the CERB advance payment, eligibility for the benefit, and explain how repayment works.

    The Canada Emergency Response Benefit advance payment

    during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020, according to Statistics Canada. These individuals were left jobless with bills to pay, families to feed, and personal responsibilities to take care of.

    Advance payments were then issued directly to applicants by ESDC, and those who applied on or after June 14 did not receive the $2,000 advance. Instead, those who applied for CERB through Service Canada after the cutoff date were issued standard CERB benefits by ESDC. Applicants who applied for the CERB through the CRA would have received their CERB payments from the CRA. Unlike ESDC, the CRA did not issue any CERB advance payments.

    In order to expedite the process, the government of Canada took an attestation-based approach to issuing payments. This meant that applicants were responsible for making appropriate claims regarding their income and employment, with the knowledge that the claims would be verified in the future.

    The government claimed that fines would not be issued to those who provided inaccurate information. However, these individuals would be required to repay amounts for which they were ineligible.

    How did the CERB advance affect CRB Benefits?

    The CERB advance was issued prior to the Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB), which offered payments of $1,000 or $600 for a two-week period between September 27, 2020 and October 23, 2021. Applicants who received the $2,000 CERB advance payment would have had the advance applied against other payment periods in June, July and August of 2020.

    Recipients saw an interruption in payments in order to apply the money paid to weeks of eligibility. However, if recipients of the advance payment were not entitled to or did not collect CERB payments for at least 20 weeks, some or all of the advance payment remains as an outstanding balance owing.

    The CRA was the sole administrator for the CRB Benefits and did not apply CRB benefits to any outstanding debts. Therefore, the CERB advance payment did not impact nor was it deducted from CRB payments. 

    Who was eligible for the CERB program?

    The CERB was available to workers in Canada who met the following qualifications::

    • Canadian resident
    • At least 15 years old
    • Had employment or self-employment income of at least $5,000 in 2019 or in the 12 months prior to their application
    • Lost their job due to COVID-19
    • Quit their job due to COVID-19 for health/safety reasons
    • Exhausted their EI benefits between December 29, 2019 and October 3, 2020

    Do you have to pay the CERB benefit back?

    The CRA and ESDC may verify that you were eligible to receive the CERB. Upon review, the ESDC and CRA may determine that Canadians who received the CERB advance or regular CERB payment were not, in fact, eligible for the benefit. Those who were ineligible will need to repay any CERB benefits that they were not entitled to.

    According to the government of Canada, payments were issued in the “good faith†that applicants were eligible.

    CERB beneficiaries who were eligible to receive the payment are not required to repay the amount issued to them.

    However, those who weren’t eligible for the benefit are now being required to pay the CERB benefit back, along with any ensuing CRB benefits that they may have wrongly taken.

    In 2021, ESDC began issuing a Notice of Debt (NoD) to all Canadians who still had an outstanding balance of money owed from the CERB advance payment.

    Beginning in May 2022, those who did not receive the CERB advance payment and instead received the standard CERB or CRB payment from the CRA may have been issued a Notice of Redetermination (NoR) notifying them of any debt that they owe the CRA.

    If you believe that you may have mistakenly received a NoD from the ESDC or NoR from the CRA, then you should contact the department that issued the notice to verify your eligibility for the benefit. Otherwise, the debt will remain on your file, and may affect your eligibility for future benefits and tax refunds.

    How do you pay the CERB back?

    The NoD you received from ESDC should clearly outline the amount that you owe and should detail the payment options available to you. To repay your CERB advance issued by ESDC, you’ll need to repay the amount through your financial institution or mail.

    Does CERB count as taxable income?

    Yes, the CERB advance and most other COVID-19 benefits that were issued to Canadians all count as taxable income. This means that you were required to add them to your personal income tax returns for the 2020 tax year. Information slips were issued by the CRA (T4A) and by ESDC (T4E) to support the filing of your 2020 income tax return.If you have not filed your 2020 income tax returns yet, then you’ll need to include your CERB advance as part of your income and pay taxes on it accordingly.

    CRA debt collection moving forward

    If you are unable to repay the amount in full, you should contact the department that issued the payment to arrange a payment plan. If you fail to pay in full or enroll in a payment plan, though, you may continue receiving debt notices and may have the amount deducted from the tax refund that you would otherwise be entitled to in 2023.

    Correction

    This column has been updated due to erroneous information. It was the ESDC, and not the CRA, which issued CERB advance payments and repayment requests.

    CTVNews.ca Top Stories

    Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard has been found not guilty of sexually assaulting a young woman in northeastern Ontario eight years ago. The former Hedley frontman had pleaded not guilty to sexual assault.

    Police have arrested a Toronto woman in connection with three recent homicides and investigators say that they believe two of the victims may have been 'randomly targeted.'

    The body of a British Columbia mountain climber has been located and recovered after the 39-year-old man was reported missing during a solo climb on Washington state's Mount Baker earlier this week.

    A teen charged with the murder of another teen on Prince Edward Island last year has pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter.

    Canada

    • Police have arrested a Toronto woman in connection with three recent homicides and investigators say that they believe two of the victims may have been 'randomly targeted.'

    • The body of a British Columbia mountain climber has been located and recovered after the 39-year-old man was reported missing during a solo climb on Washington state's Mount Baker earlier this week.

    • A Saskatchewan man living in the United States has pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography after he unknowingly provided disturbing videos to an FBI agent he thought was a pedophile.

    • Melissa Duff-Shore, a Cambridge, Ont. woman who killed her daughter in 2020, has been ordered to a forensic hospital in St. Thomas.

    • Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard has been found not guilty of sexually assaulting a young woman in northeastern Ontario eight years ago. The former Hedley frontman had pleaded not guilty to sexual assault.

    • A northeastern Ontario jury has started deliberating in Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard's sexual assault trial, we can now tell you what they weren't allowed to hear.

    World

    Politics

    Health

    Sci-Tech

    Entertainment

    Business

    Lifestyle

    • A five-seat sushi counter located inside another restaurant is the latest Vancouver eatery to receive a Michelin star.

    • What does New Westminster's tÉ™mÉ™sewÌ“txÊ· Aquatic and Community Centre have in common with a historic 68,000-seat stadium in Beijing, an NFL stadium and the aquatics venue for the Paris Olympics? They've all been named among the world's most beautiful sports venues for 2024.

    Sports

    Autos

    • A Pickering, Ont., student going to college to be a mechanic is shocked the engine in his two-year-old car will not be repaired under warranty after the dealership claimed he had been 'over-revving' the engine.

    • A group of classic car enthusiasts donated hundreds of blankets to nursing homes in Nova Scotia.

    Local Spotlight

    Chantal Kreviazuk is set to return to Winnipeg to mark a major milestone in her illustrious musical career.

    From the beaches of Cannes to the bustling streets of New York City, a new film by a trio of Manitoba directors has toured the international film festival circuit to much pomp and circumstance.

    A husband and wife have been on the road trip of a lifetime and have decided to stop in Saskatchewan for the winter.

    The grave of a previously unknown Canadian soldier has been identified as a man from Hayfield, Man. who fought in the First World War.

    A group of classic car enthusiasts donated hundreds of blankets to nursing homes in Nova Scotia.

    Moving into the second week of October, the eastern half of Canada can expect some brisker fall air to break down from the north

    What does New Westminster's təməsew̓txʷ Aquatic and Community Centre have in common with a historic 68,000-seat stadium in Beijing, an NFL stadium and the aquatics venue for the Paris Olympics? They've all been named among the world's most beautiful sports venues for 2024.

    The last living member of the legendary Vancouver Asahi baseball team, Kaye Kaminishi, died on Saturday, Sept. 28, surrounded by family. He was 102 years old.

    New data from Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley shows a surge in supply and drop in demand in the region's historically hot real estate market.

    • We haven't heard the candidates talk much about education during B.C.'s 2024 election campaign, but the teachers' union is trying to put the spotlight on that issue.

    • A dispute over the ownership of a Surrey condo that contributed to a falling-out between sisters has been addressed in B.C. Supreme Court.

    • Cyndi Fosco was born with severe myopia. When her vision deteriorated to only 5 per cent, she knew she needed help navigating. So three years ago, she was matched with her service dog Aaliyah.

    • Police have arrested a Toronto woman in connection with three recent homicides and investigators say that they believe two of the victims may have been 'randomly targeted.'

    • Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard has been found not guilty of sexually assaulting a young woman in northeastern Ontario eight years ago. The former Hedley frontman had pleaded not guilty to sexual assault.

    • Toronto Public Health has confirmed two cases of listeria in the city believed to be connected to ready-to-eat deli meat products sold by Summerhill Market.

    • Three Calgary businesses have been ordered to shut down after inspectors discovered evidence of uninspected meat.

    • A person was airlifted to hospital following a serious crash in Taber, Alta., on Friday morning. Taber RCMP responded to the scene on Highway 864 around 10:30 a.m., for a crash involving an SUV and a semi-truck.

    • Alberta Health Services (AHS) says it is taking immediate action to expedite care for patients who had referrals to community health-care providers delayed.

    • The owner of a Gatineau, Que. café says it's 'silly' that Quebec's language watchdog is telling the business to write its Instagram posts in French.

    • Gas prices in Ottawa are set to rise this weekend after a slight uptick overnight.

    • Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard has been found not guilty of sexually assaulting a young woman in northeastern Ontario eight years ago. The former Hedley frontman had pleaded not guilty to sexual assault.

    • At least two people are dead and others are injured after a fire ripped through a century-old building in Old Montreal early Friday morning, sources told Noovo Info.

    • The owner of a Gatineau, Que. café says it's 'silly' that Quebec's language watchdog is telling the business to write its Instagram posts in French.

    • A 28-year-old female driver was seriously injured in a three-vehicle collision Friday afternoon in Saint-Rémi, Montérégie, reports the Sûreté du Québec (SQ).

    • A letter from Edmonton's mayor to the Alberta government detailing the city's fiscal wishlist ahead of next year's budget calls for fair treatment for the capital city, something several city councillors say isn't already happening.

    • A new docu-series that reveals what life is like for National Hockey League players on and off the ice during the playoffs is now out.

    • A first-of-its-kind drone delivery system--at the Edmonton International Airport--is expanding.

    • A teen charged with the murder of another teen on Prince Edward Island last year has pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter.

    • The federal Fisheries Department says it is concerned about a "pattern" of violence and threats toward its enforcement officers after two tense incidents off southwestern Nova Scotia last month.

    • Friday marked the grand opening of 22 new seniors' apartments built from the ground-up on Pitt Street in Sydney Mines, N.S.

    • A new report from Doctors Manitoba is calling for major changes to the way sick notes are issued in Manitoba, saying they are a waste of time for doctors and employers.

    • With winter right around the corner, thousands of feathered friends are flying south. New technology in Assiniboine Park is helping researchers around the world unlock the mysteries of this migration.

    • Manitoba RCMP arrested a man after he allegedly pulled over two women on the highway pretending to be an RCMP officer.

    • A Saskatchewan man living in the United States has pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography after he unknowingly provided disturbing videos to an FBI agent he thought was a pedophile.

    • A group of climate activists is challenging SaskPower's move towards natural gas, arguing it violates their Charter rights.

    • Regina kids facing mobility issues were gifted toy cars through the Go Baby Go program.

    • Police have laid charges after a car crashed into the side of a Kitchener home early Friday morning.

    • Melissa Duff-Shore, a Cambridge, Ont. woman who killed her daughter in 2020, has been ordered to a forensic hospital in St. Thomas.

    • A Guelph coach has scored touchdown after touchdown in her development of the football program at Bishop Macdonell Catholic High School.

    • The Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation hosted a virtual election forum on education Thursday evening, giving candidates in the provincial election a chance to share their thoughts and answer questions on issues teachers find most important.

    • A Saskatchewan man living in the United States has pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography after he unknowingly provided disturbing videos to an FBI agent he thought was a pedophile.

    • Saskatoon police arrested a homeless person at the scene of an encampment underneath the University Bridge on Friday morning.

    • Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard has been found not guilty of sexually assaulting a young woman in northeastern Ontario eight years ago. The former Hedley frontman had pleaded not guilty to sexual assault.

    • Two police officers in Greater Sudbury required medical attention for injuries they received arresting a man for the second time in just two days.

    • Police have arrested a Toronto woman in connection with three recent homicides and investigators say that they believe two of the victims may have been 'randomly targeted.'

    • The Ministry of Labour is investigating a workplace incident that claimed the lives of two people in Georgian Bluffs, south of Owen Sound.

    • Eleven victim impact statements were submitted into court during the proceedings.

    • Middlesex OPP have shuttered a road between Mount Brydges and Komoka today - Amiens Road is currently closed between Glendon Drive and Oriole Drive.

    • A woman whose son died last month while at a Penetanguishene, Ont. beach with another family member wants to see safety increased at the beach.

    • The Ministry of Labour is investigating a workplace incident that claimed the lives of two people in Georgian Bluffs, south of Owen Sound.

    • Provincial police are investigating a collision along Highway 400 in Tay Township Friday afternoon.

    • A London, Ont. man, who pleaded guilty earlier this year in a harassment case, has been sentenced to two months in jail for criminal harassment of a Windsor, Ont. family.

    • Hike Metal has added more security since a $20,000 ship propeller was stolen, while Crime Stoppers is still looking for tips on possible suspects

    • The City of Windsor is on the right path to adding much needed housing inventory to the stock, according to city officials.

    • We haven't heard the candidates talk much about education during B.C.'s 2024 election campaign, but the teachers' union is trying to put the spotlight on that issue.

    • The body of a British Columbia mountain climber has been located and recovered after the 39-year-old man was reported missing during a solo climb on Washington state's Mount Baker earlier this week.

    • Many British Columbians were shaken awake early Friday morning when an earthquake struck in the Strait of Georgia, about 18 kilometres southwest of Tsawwassen.

    • Three young suspects have been arrested in connection with a swarming attack on a teenager in B.C.'s Okanagan last week – and authorities have asked the public to stop circulating disturbing videos of the incident.

    • A father in Kelowna is furious after his 13-year-old daughter was brutally beaten on Gyro Beach. He is calling for criminal charges in the devastating attack, which was caught on video by multiple bystanders.

    • The officer who shot and killed a forcible confinement suspect in Kamloops two years ago was justified in doing so, according to the Independent Investigations Office of B.C.

    • A person was airlifted to hospital following a serious crash in Taber, Alta., on Friday morning. Taber RCMP responded to the scene on Highway 864 around 10:30 a.m., for a crash involving an SUV and a semi-truck.

    • To enhance inclusivity at Lethbridge Polytechnic, the institution has launched a new accessibility micro-credential.

    • WestJet has changed its operations at the Lethbridge Airport, and it means there's now only a single daily flight from Lethbridge to Calgary, down from three flights a day, as offered previously.

    • Two teens, ages 14 and 19, have been charged with arson in connection with a July 14 fire in Cat Lake First Nation that destroyed $500,000 in construction materials.

    • A northeastern Ontario jury has started deliberating in Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard's sexual assault trial, we can now tell you what they weren't allowed to hear.

    • A suspect who accused Thunder Bay police of being responsible for his throat injury actually hurt himself when he swallowed a large amount of drugs.

    N.L.

    Shopping Trends

    The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at Â鶹´«Ã½. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.

    Stay Connected
    Follow Â鶹´«Ã½