The Canada Revenue Agency terminated 330 employees for inappropriately receiving the Canada Emergency Response Benefit during the COVID-19 pandemic, after completing its final internal review on the matter.
The government tax agency launched an internal review in June 2023, after several employees were found to have illegitimately received CERB payments.
The inquiry ultimately led to as many as 600 employees being investigated.
“Starting in July 2024, for individuals who have not responded or co-operated, and who have been determined to have the financial capacity to pay, legal warnings will be issued and legal measures could be taken to recover monies owed,” wrote the CRA in a statement released in June.
According to the agency, only people who have already been contacted about repaying their debt are the ones who should be worried.
“Legal measures are only taken when there is no cooperation from an individual with ability to repay the debt,” reads the release.
The firings come after the Trudeau government called for the CRA to begin automatically filing Canadians’ taxes in 2024, an idea it first announced as part of its 2020 budget speech.
The Liberals claimed the proposed change would help Canadians deal with the cost of living.
A pilot program was announced again in the federal government’s 2023 to 2024 fiscal budget as part of its goal of “Making Life More Affordable” for Canadians.
However, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation pushed back on the initiative.
In a video posted to social media, the organization asked, “do you trust the federal government with your wallet?”
“The CRA’s job is to squeeze every penny from you, not maximize your refund,” said the CTF. “And let’s not forget, this government is broke.”
The monthly CERB payment of $2,000 was offered to Canadians who lost their job during the pandemic as a result of lockdown and other restrictions.
While the CRA said there were another 185 individuals who were not terminated for receiving CERB, 40 have faced disciplinary action, such as suspension.
An additional 135 employees were found to have been eligible and were not subjected to punishment, many of whom were students or contract workers.
According to the agency, employees who received CERB inappropriately are required to pay back the money they received.
The CRA noted that a small number of cases remain ongoing, including employees on medical or extended unpaid leave.
