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Results: 31 - 45 of 74
View Carla Qualtrough Profile
Lib. (BC)
Oh my goodness. The CRB is at about 1.75 million Canadians as of February 27. The sickness benefit is at around 411,000. The caregiving benefit is at around 343,000. It's a significant number. That's not including the millions on EI.
View Wayne Long Profile
Lib. (NB)
Right, and I think we can all realize what would have happened without the extension of those benefits. We all got calls. I got calls into my office from people who were certainly desperate. Their EI was running out. They didn't have other options.
Again, these benefits were a lifeline to Canadians. That's what a good government does. A good government delivers benefits that Canadians need, certainly in times of crisis, so thank you for that, Minister, and—
View Carla Qualtrough Profile
Lib. (BC)
Sure.
This bill would make important amendments to the Employment Insurance Act, the Canada Recovery Benefits Act and the Customs Act that would allow us to continue to support Canadians.
Last summer and fall, we laid out a plan to continue to support Canada's workforce through the ongoing pandemic. We transitioned from the CERB to a simplified employment insurance program and introduced a suite of recovery benefits to provide income support to workers whose employment continues to be impacted by COVID-19.
At that time, we said we'd monitor labour market changes and make adjustments as needed. We've done that and are following through on our commitment to continue providing certainty for workers.
The bill being proposed is to increase the maximum number of available weeks of EI regular benefits and make sure that Canadians don't face a gap in receiving the support they continue to need right now.
If this bill does not get passed and receive royal assent before the end of March, tens of thousands of Canadians will be notified as early as March 26 that they have exhausted their EI regular benefits, so we need to get this done.
Parallel to this bill, we are making increases, through regulations, to the number of weeks available under the Canada recovery benefit, the Canada recovery caregiving benefit and the Canada recovery sickness benefit, and to secure job-protected leave under the Canada Labour Code.
Let me now discuss the amendments to the EI Act in more detail.
Bill C-24 amends the Employment Insurance Act to increase the number of weeks that workers can claim in EI regular benefits. Workers will now be eligible for up to a maximum of 50 weeks for claims established between September 27, 2020, and September 25, 2021.
It would enable millions of Canadians to continue to receive support while still having access to the essential employment insurance system resources and tools for them to be able to re-enter the labour market.
Such resources include working while on claim, where workers can keep part of their EI benefits and all earnings from their job. The work-sharing program allows companies to redistribute available work through a voluntary reduction in hours worked by all employees within one or more work units. It also allows employers to retain a full workforce on a reduced workweek, rather than laying off part of their workforce. This keeps workers on the job, which is key to Canada's successful economic recovery.
Our country's labour market is also changing rapidly because of the pandemic. This new reality requires additional skills and training for more workers. It is another good reason to broaden access to the employment insurance system. Out-of-work Canadians would have access to courses and training programs while receiving employment insurance benefits.
We know that Canadians want to work. Evidence from last year's labour market data clearly shows that when there is work available, Canadians take these jobs.
I also highlight that, as part of this legislation, self-employed workers participating in the EI program would be able to temporarily access EI special benefits with an earning threshold of $5,000, compared to the previously set threshold of $7,555. Self-employed workers have also been hard-hit by the pandemic and need this extra support.
I'd also like to speak about travellers returning to Canada and their access to Canada recovery benefits. We have also said clearly that these benefits, and in particular the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit, were established to allow Canadians to have paid sick leave when it is not available from their employer.
The amendments to the Canada Recovery Benefits Act and the Customs Act that are proposed in Bill C-24 would make Canadians who travel for non-essential reasons ineligible for recovery benefits. However, Canadians who travel internationally for medical treatment that is considered by a medical practitioner to be necessary, or to accompany such a person as an attendant, will remain eligible for recovery benefits, as will Canadians who travel internationally for essential reasons and must self-isolate upon their return to Canada.
The application of these eligibility rules will be retroactive to October 2, 2020, which is when the recovery benefits were introduced after the Canada Recovery Benefits Act received royal assent.
As I mentioned earlier, we are still in a crisis. We'll continue to monitor the labour market and will be there for workers during this difficult period.
Let me close by restating the importance of passing this legislation in a timely manner. The bill has been in the hands of all members since February 23. All parties have said the bill is straightforward and necessary. I urge all parties to move this bill along as quickly as possible. Let's listen to workers who are relying on EI to pay their bills and support their families.
Thank you.
Frank Vermaeten
View Frank Vermaeten Profile
Frank Vermaeten
2021-02-23 15:32
Thank you very much and good afternoon, everyone.
Thank you for the invitation to appear before the committee today as you continue your review of the employment insurance program.
With me is my colleague, Annette Butikofer, who's assistant commissioner and chief information officer of the information technology branch at the Canada Revenue Agency. In my brief remarks, I'd like to provide the committee with a short description of the CRA's responsibility with regard to delivering benefits to Canadians.
First and foremost, the CRA seeks to ensure that Canadians obtain benefit payments in a timely manner and have avenues of redress when they disagree with a decision on their benefit eligibility. The CRA administers the Canada child benefit, the goods and services tax, the harmonized sales tax credit, the children's special allowances program, the disability tax credit, the Canada workers benefit and provincial and territorial programs.
Indeed, the CRA uses its federal tax delivery infrastructure to administer 181 services, ongoing benefits and one-time payment programs on behalf of the provinces and territories. These income-tested benefits and other services contribute directly to the economic and social well-being of Canadians by supporting families and children.
I should note that while the CRA is the administrator of many other benefits, the CRA has no direct involvement in the administration of the EI program or the EI system.
As the committee may know, the CRA's role in delivering benefits evolved as the COVID-19 pandemic hit, at the peak of the 2019 tax season. The CRA shifted gears to focus on the administration and issuance of emergency benefits to Canadians impacted by the pandemic. The Canada emergency response benefit was launched in April 2020 and was jointly administered by the CRA and Service Canada. Given the speed required to deliver the CERB payments to Canadians—within some three weeks—and the initial 16-week duration, the CRA leveraged pre-existing information technology services to ensure that payments would be issued on a timely basis.
As of February 14, 2021, the CRA had processed 22,652,229 CERB applications, representing $45.3 billion paid to Canadians. The CERB was followed by the Canada emergency student benefit, or CESB, in 2020, which leveraged the program and system design of CERB. Through the course of administering the CESB, the CRA has processed 2,140,226 applications, representing $2.94 billion paid to Canadians.
As part of the transition from CERB, since the fall of 2020, the CRA now administers three new COVID benefits: the Canada recovery benefit, the Canada recovery caregiver benefit and the Canada recovery sickness benefit.
As of February 13, 2021, the CRA had processed and paid out to Canadians, for the CRB or recovery benefit, 9,864,423 applications, representing $9.86 billion. For the CRCB—the caregiver benefit—we paid out 2,840,045 applications, representing $1.42 billion, and for the CRSB there have been 675,473 applications, representing $337.74 million.
In addition, the CRA also administers the Canada emergency wage subsidy and the Canada emergency rent subsidy programs, which were launched to assist businesses during the pandemic. As of February 14, 2021, 2,619,890 wage subsidy applications had been approved, with a $65.56-billion value of subsidies approved. As of February 7, 2021, 347,480 rent subsidy applications had been approved, with $1.29 billion in payments of subsidies approved.
In conclusion, while the CRA has no direct involvement in the administration of the EI program or systems, as those are the responsibility of ESDC, the CRA plays an important role in delivering many other benefits on which Canadians rely.
Thank you again for the invitation to appear, Mr. Chair. Ms. Butikofer and I would be happy to answer any questions the committee may have.
View Philip Lawrence Profile
CPC (ON)
Thank you very much. You've said everything I need.
I would like to jump now to the administering of the CERB claims. Could you give us an idea about what the rate of decline is for the CERB and/or the CRB? How many applications are declined for substantive or technical...if you have that degree of information?
Frank Vermaeten
View Frank Vermaeten Profile
Frank Vermaeten
2021-02-23 15:45
It's difficult to say. It changes.
When we launched the CERB, we declined a very small number of the applications. When the program was up and running, there weren't as many upfront validations and we didn't have 2019 income at that time. Then we moved to the CRB and the new measures. We put in place more upfront validation. We're able to look at 2019 income. We're able to look at a broader range of things.
I don't have a precise number, but my guess would be a little bit under 5%. I can certainly get that for you.
View Philip Lawrence Profile
CPC (ON)
Perfect. I was just going to ask that. It would be great if you could get that to the committee. Thank you.
One of the reasons, I believe, that CRBs were declined—it was an issue for a lot of Canadians from coast to coast to coast—was that people were applying for EI, but were not eligible. Then they were attempting to apply for the CRB, but they were declined due to a technical error because the software between the EI system and the CRA system would not work. Has that been resolved now?
Frank Vermaeten
View Frank Vermaeten Profile
Frank Vermaeten
2021-02-23 15:47
I would say that is a rare occurrence relative to the total number of people applying.
Generally speaking, if you've applied for EI and you're still EI eligible, the legislation, in fact, says you're not eligible for the CRB. You need to first go to EI. In the vast majority of cases, the system works exactly as it should.
There are rare situations, for example, when somebody is—
View Philip Lawrence Profile
CPC (ON)
With respect—and I don't mean to be rude but I have limited time—I have had literally hundreds of people. That might not seem a huge number, but to the family I delivered food to, that was a big deal.
Is that issue resolved?
Frank Vermaeten
View Frank Vermaeten Profile
Frank Vermaeten
2021-02-23 15:48
We set up a new system. When individuals in those rare situations run into that problem, it can be resolved. Is it 100% resolved? No, people will need to call when they're in that rare situation. As you said it's hundreds—
View Philip Lawrence Profile
CPC (ON)
I understand that once you've been denied.... Some of them are legitimate. I've talked to some folks who have been denied.
We're putting people through the notice of objection system, which is for your taxes and which can take up to six months or a year. These are people who are struck down by the pandemic, having a horrible time, perhaps the worst time of their lives, and now they may have a rightful claim, but they won't get their day in court for literally six months, if not years. Is that true?
Frank Vermaeten
View Frank Vermaeten Profile
Frank Vermaeten
2021-02-23 15:48
I have to look into that. Generally that is not the procedure. If individuals are blocked for whatever reason, for example, we don't have any income on their files, or we have income and it's too low, or they don't meet the age, they are entitled to call us. If they can put forth a reasonable case, we do that right over the phone and there's no need to go to an objection.
View Louise Chabot Profile
BQ (QC)
I'm talking about people having to wait seven or eight weeks, not seven or eight days. These were people who were out of work and had no money coming in, and they applied for the CRB, which your agency clearly administers. They waited seven or eight weeks. Are those wait times a thing of the past now that the measures have been extended?
Not only did I want to ask that question, but I also wanted to point out how unbearably stressful it was for people to wait that long.
Frank Vermaeten
View Frank Vermaeten Profile
Frank Vermaeten
2021-02-23 16:00
I'm not aware of any of those types of waiting periods. In our system, the way it works is that, generally, if you apply and we deem you as qualified, we deliver that in three to five days. There are situations where individuals are deemed to not be qualified. They have to call, and they may have to provide some additional documentation. There can be delays in those cases.
Are those acceptable wait times, whether it's through CRA or whether it's ESDC? Absolutely not. As those things happen and evolve, we try to quickly reorganize ourselves and try to deal with those types of situations as quickly as possible. To the extent that there are delays, it's always a tiny share, but they're important files. We try to do what we can to speed that up as quickly as possible.
View Leah Gazan Profile
NDP (MB)
Thank you so much, Mr. Chair.
My first questions are for either Annette Butikofer or Frank Vermaeten.
From the transition between the CERB to the new COVID-19 support benefit, what is the percentage of Canadians who were eligible for CERB who are no longer eligible for the new support benefits?
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