Will Canadians have to pay back their CERB?: 980 CKNW

As the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit has come to an end, many Canadians were left with concerns of the transition to the next program for financial assistance as well as the possibility of repayments. While most citizens were given an accurate amount of assistance, some received double payments.

A Vancouver employment lawyer at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP joined the Jill Bennett show to discuss possible repayment options and the consequences of receiving extra assistance through CERB.

What They Discussed

• What should someone do if they received a double payment of CERB? The CRA recommends people who have received a double payment to pay the money back before December 31^st, 2020.
• Did some Canadians hold onto the extra money in order to pay it back later? There was a lot of confusion at the beginning of the program launching. If you are unsure, get in touch with a CERB representative now to pay it back.
• What should people do who spent the extra money and are unable to pay it back? This is an issue that the government has not looked at yet and there are amnesty groups who have raised this issue.
• Can people apply for a payment plan if they are unable to pay it back in a lump sum? This would be a way to help ensure more people can pay funds back and it is possible the payment plan policies could change.