Investigation underway over CERB payments sent to teens

By Caitlyn Lepp

According to information uncovered by Blacklock’s Reporter, more than $635 million in COVID-19 relief payments went to teens across Canada from the Canada Revenue Agency.

The Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) was created at the beginning of the pandemic to provide financial relief to those who lost their jobs or faced other financial pressures due to COVID-19.

However, thousands of teens managed to figure out their way around the system to collect the $2,000 cheque.

Tom Korski, managing editor of Blacklock’s Reporter, said suspicious payments under the CERB program weren’t adding up.

“The Canada Revenue Agency — this is ‘The Big Machine’ — were swarmed by a bunch of teenagers and it cost two-thirds of a billion dollars out the door,” Korski told Gormley guest host Drew Remenda on Thursday. “You’ll never see that money again.”

CERB was created shortly after the first lockdowns in March due to COVID-19; the program was ended in October.

“They tried to do their job,” Korski said of Canada’s politicians. “MPs and senators put in that bill that it was to help workers who lost employment income … and were in dire straits due to the pandemic …

“The CRA mismanaged this program so badly.”

Employment among teens over the age of 15 has dropped off almost 40 per cent since the pandemic began.

As for the CERB situation, Korski said everything leads back to the CRA.

Korski said teens managed to work the system and receive a cheque from the CRA, making it seem like a payment was sent out to anyone who applied for the benefit.

“I can imagine the traffic in the chat rooms,” he said of the teens’ conversations. “They gamed the system. They outsmarted the Big Machine.

“I think all you needed was a social insurance number and the 1-800 call centre and your cheque was on the way. There was not even the most cursory upfront verification of these clients.”

Korski said the CERB program was implemented with good intentions, but was taken advantage of because it was passed too quickly.

The Parliamentary Budget Officer said Wednesday an investigation is underway examining CERB payments to teens.