Alberta couple battles the CRA after it claws back $14K received in COVID benefits

The worst of nan COVID-19 pandemic whitethorn beryllium over, but nan fallout surely isn’t for an Alberta mates progressive a large conflict pinch nan Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).

Ron and Daria Roffel told Global News nan national taxation agency has ordered them to repay $14,000 successful benefits fixed to them via nan Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB).

The Airdrie mates based on Daria qualified for nan benefits owed to reduced activity hours, but nan CRA claimed she went complete nan allowable hours worked and made excessively overmuch money to qualify.

“I made conscionable complete $1000,” she pointed out. “But that was nan trim off.”

Daria, who is nan charismatic caregiver for Ron, said nan rules astir really overmuch group were allowed to make changed midway done nan process and they only applied for nan money because they were successful dire straits erstwhile nan COVID-19 pandemic hit.

“I had nan prime to either beryllium laid disconnected aliases return a simplification successful hours,” she said. “I took nan simplification successful hours. I went to 10 hours per week from 26.”

“I was successful ‘protect nan family mode,'” she said. “Survival mode. Let’s conscionable get done this.”

The Roffels said they continued to record for nan money arsenic nan pandemic went connected and were shocked to get an email years later stating they had to salary it back. They person revenge 2 appeals but those person failed, and they person to salary nan money back.

Until they do, nan CRA has decided to get nan money backmost successful different ways.

“They person taken my taxation returns,” Daria said. “My GST refunds, c taxation rebates. Everything is being held back.”

The Roffels said they usage that money to thief salary their bills — including nan spot taxation connected their location — adding that losing that money has almost caused them to suffer that home.

CRA response

Global News reached retired to nan CRA which said much than 8 cardinal Canadians benefitted from nan pandemic payouts and that it “remains committed to being compassionate, flexible, and supportive during this challenging time.”

It wouldn’t remark connected nan Roffels’ circumstantial case, citing privacy, but added, “While those who applied for individual emergency benefits successful bully religion were not and will not beryllium taxable to liking aliases penalties, they would later person to repay amounts they were ineligible for.”

The CRA told Global News that arsenic of June 30, 2024, astir 613,000 individuals person afloat repaid their CERB magnitude owing, 393,000 person partially repaid, and 299,000 person not yet repaid immoderate magnitude towards their CERB amount.

The CRA process allows for 2 appeals and if nan applicant still disagrees pinch nan consequence of nan 2nd review, officials added Canadians whitethorn use to nan Federal Court for a judicial reappraisal wrong 30 days of nan day they received nan CRA decision.

The Roffels still beryllium astir $9,000 and said they will effort to record a judicial reappraisal aliases an amnesty appeal.