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chemgear · 12-07-2022, 09:55 AM

https://nationalpost.com/news/politi...covid-payments

Auditor general finds a 'minimum' of $27.4 billion in suspicious COVID benefit payments

Canada’s auditor general says a “minimum” of $27.4 billion in suspicious COVID-19 benefit payments need to be investigated because the government did not manage the aid programs efficiently, and it will likely fail to recover “significant” amounts in overpayments.

That’s in addition to $4.6 billion in confirmed government overpayments solely in double-dipping applications for the various COVID-19 aid programs launched within the first months of the pandemic, according to a new report by Auditor General Karen Hogan published Tuesday.

“The Canada Revenue Agency and Employment and Social Development Canada did not manage the selected COVID‑19 programs efficiently given the significant amount paid to ineligible recipients, the limited adjustments as programs were extended, and the slow progress on post‑payment verifications,” the report concludes.

Her report notes there are at least $27.4 billion in suspected ineligible payments that CRA and ESDC let through over the six programs that now need to investigate on top of the $4.6 billion in overpayments it has already identified and is trying to claw back.

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg, Hogan warns. The report chronicles a separate series of eyebrow-raising CERB payments, such as $1.6 billion to individuals who appear to have quit their jobs (instead of losing it due to COVID-19), $6.1 million to incarcerated recipients and $1.2 million in payments to dead people.

12-07-2022, 09:55 AM	#3389
chemgear Franchise Player Join Date: Feb 2010 Exp:	https://nationalpost.com/news/politi...covid-payments Auditor general finds a 'minimum' of $27.4 billion in suspicious COVID benefit payments Canada’s auditor general says a “minimum” of $27.4 billion in suspicious COVID-19 benefit payments need to be investigated because the government did not manage the aid programs efficiently, and it will likely fail to recover “significant” amounts in overpayments. That’s in addition to $4.6 billion in confirmed government overpayments solely in double-dipping applications for the various COVID-19 aid programs launched within the first months of the pandemic, according to a new report by Auditor General Karen Hogan published Tuesday. “The Canada Revenue Agency and Employment and Social Development Canada did not manage the selected COVID‑19 programs efficiently given the significant amount paid to ineligible recipients, the limited adjustments as programs were extended, and the slow progress on post‑payment verifications,” the report concludes. Her report notes there are at least $27.4 billion in suspected ineligible payments that CRA and ESDC let through over the six programs that now need to investigate on top of the $4.6 billion in overpayments it has already identified and is trying to claw back. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg, Hogan warns. The report chronicles a separate series of eyebrow-raising CERB payments, such as $1.6 billion to individuals who appear to have quit their jobs (instead of losing it due to COVID-19), $6.1 million to incarcerated recipients and $1.2 million in payments to dead people.