Alberta Couple Challenges CRA to Repay $33K COVID Benefits

An Alberta couple is embroiled in a dispute with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) over COVID-19 benefits they believe they were entitled to receive. This situation has led them to challenge the CRA’s position that they must repay $33,000 in benefits.

Challenges Faced by an Alberta Couple

Skibington-Roffel and her husband, Ron Roffel, are facing significant financial strain. Skibington-Roffel is a part-time worker and primary caregiver for her husband, who is retired and disabled. During the pandemic, they relied on the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) and other recovery funds to manage their household expenses.

Financial Struggles

The couple reported that the benefits allowed them to pay their monthly bills without having to make difficult sacrifices. However, in 2021, they discovered that Skibington-Roffel had not received her expected tax refund, which she typically utilizes to pay property taxes. This prompted her to reach out to the CRA for clarification.

• The CRA informed her she did not qualify for CERB due to an allegedly high income.
• Subsequently, they were advised that they owed around $50,000 related to these benefits.

The couple has since engaged in a two-year battle with the CRA to dispute this claim. They argue that they were eligible for the funds based on the information provided on the CRA’s official application forms.

Impact of CRA’s Decisions

Skibington-Roffel noted that the CRA has withheld numerous tax refunds and caregiver rebates, significantly increasing their debt. Their financial situation has become dire, forcing them to take loans to manage household expenses and property taxes. They faced the threat of losing their home twice due to these financial pressures.

Ron Roffel remarked that the low-income threshold for accessing COVID benefits is “unrealistic.” He expressed frustration over the CRA’s decision to withhold essential funds, deepening their financial distress.

Call for Change

The couple is pleading with the CRA to stop reclaiming their funds and to return the amounts that have already been withdrawn. Skibington-Roffel emphasized the debilitating impact of these actions on their quality of life.

With a yearly income of just over $30,000, she stated, “We’ve had to go into debt and we’re probably going to have to either go insolvent or bankrupt again just because of this.”

COVID Benefits Overview

As of November 30, the CRA had disbursed a total of $83.5 billion in COVID-19 benefits to Canadians, including $45.3 billion specifically for CERB. Approximately 1.4 million people have repaid about $3.3 billion in these benefits.

As they continue their fight against the CRA, the couple hopes for a resolution that acknowledges their eligibility for the benefits they accessed during a challenging economic time.