Category: CRA

CRA Questions Validity of Radio Caller Claiming to Be Employee Who Defrauded System for CERB

After conducting an investigation, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) said it is not convinced of the “validity” of a radio show caller who claimed to be an agency employee that fraudulently received COVID benefits. On Feb. 9, the Alex Pierson Show was contacted live on the air by a male caller claiming to be a…


RCMP Tight-Lipped on Scale of CERB Fraud Investigations

The RCMP confirmed on Feb. 14 that investigations are ongoing with regards to individuals who defrauded the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), but wouldn’t say on what scale. “The RCMP confirms that it has received fraud complaints from the Government of Canada in relation to its Covid programs,” spokesperson Cpl. Kim Chamberland told The Epoch…


John Robson: Federal Consultants Proliferate, but Don’t Expect More Public Sector Efficiency

Commentary Last week I said I wasn’t angling for a consulting job with the government. I have changed my mind. For a modest $250 an hour or so, plus “expenses,” I’ll advise them on how to employ fewer other consultants. It seems everyone else is a bureaucrat, public sector consultant, or consultant who used to…


Hundreds of Millions Being Spent to Recover Billions in Pandemic Subsidies Given in Error

The federal government has spent hundreds of millions of dollars in an attempt to recover the billions of dollars it gave to ineligible recipients of pandemic subsidies, documents show. An Inquiry of Ministry filed by Conservative MP Corey Tochor returned specific figures from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), according to Blacklock’s Reporter. As of March…


Recipients of Pandemic Subsidies Owed a Total of $723 Million in Unpaid Taxes

Government COVID-19 subsidies were paid to more than 56,000 companies that turned out to be insolvent and owed a total of $723 million in unpaid taxes. The Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) began in March 2020 to help small businesses pay employees, with a 75 percent wage subsidy for up to 12 weeks. The entire program…


Canadians Begin to Receive Temporary Boost to GST Rebate Today

Canadians who are eligible for the GST rebate can expect to receive an additional lump-sum payment as early as today. A bill introduced by the Liberal government to temporarily double the rebate became law last month with unanimous support from opposition parties. The NDP has long advocated for the measure to help low- and modest-income…


Federal Government to Reveal Plan to Improve Access to Diabetes Care

The federal government is expected to table a long-awaited plan to improve access to diabetes treatment and prevention in Canada on Wednesday. Liberal MP Sonia Sidhu called for the new framework as part of a private member’s bill that became law in 2021. At the time, Diabetes Canada was clamouring for some kind of national…


CRA Extends Tax Deadlines in Atlantic Canada in Wake of Fiona

The federal government is extending tax relief to people, businesses and charities affected by post-tropical storm Fiona in Atlantic Canada. National Revenue Minister Diane Lebouthillier says she asked the Canada Revenue Agency to explore relief options as soon as she learned about the storm’s devastating impact. The CRA is extending the due date for corporate tax returns, trust income tax returns and GST and HST returns by a month…


CRA Says It Has $1.4 Billion in Uncashed Cheques Sitting in Its Coffers

The Canada Revenue Agency says it will be sending e-notifications about uncashed cheques to 25,000 Canadians this month. The federal agency says it has approximately $1.4 billion worth of uncashed cheques in its coffers that have accumulated over the years, with some dating back to 1998. Each year, the CRA issues millions of payments in…


CRA Looked to Resume Collection Efforts in Full Ahead of Tax Season, Documents Show

The federal minister in charge of the Canada Revenue Agency was told after the election that the agency planned to go full speed on collecting debts just in time for tax season. The briefing documents to Revenue Minister Diane Lebouthillier said the agency planned the full resumption of collection activities early this year. The move…