We are parents and seniors across Canada who have had a reduction to Canadian social benefits due to pandemic emergency benefits, received in 2020, that are considered in Net Taxable Income.

 

In July 2021, Canadians who had received Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) and Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) payments noticed substantial decreases in their payments from the Canada Child Benefit (CCB), Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS), and/or GST rebate, which are now causing undo hardship during the ongoing pandemic.

Parents and seniors who have lost their employment or self-employment are at a further disadvantage since they are still facing repercussions from the pandemic that are negatively impacting their ability to earn similar employment or self-employment income. In addition, the CCB decreases after one’s child turns six; older children incur different expenses, and the amount should either remain the same or be increased.

During the pandemic, parents and seniors were relying on the CERB/CRB payments to make ends meet. The reductions are disproportionately large in comparison to the emergency benefits that were received. Additional emergency benefits, such as the CCB young child supplement (CCBYCS), were selective by age and only supported families with children under the age of six, however school aged children who were being taught remotely from home by their parents saw no additional supports.

Since there is an upcoming election, we have chosen to start a Change.org petition until such a time that a Government of Canada parliamentary e-petition can be started. Select to receive updates for this petition so that when the parliamentary petition is started you will be notified.  

 

Your local Member of Parliament (MP) is your elected official who is available to help their local constituents. If you can please take the time to comment on the petition who your MP is and what the benefit reduction for your family has been. 

Whereas:

The Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) and Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) were created to provide financial support to employed and self-employed Canadians who were directly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic;

We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to use Net Income less the CERB and CRB emergency benefits received when determining social benefits for 2021/22. We also ask that the Canada Child Benefit (CCB) amount remain the same for children aged six and older. Furthermore, we ask that the CCBYCS emergency supplement include all children under the age of 18. 

 

Please email or tweet this call to:

 

The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada

Email: justin.trudeau@parl.gc.ca

Twitter: @JustinTrudeau

 

The Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance

Email: Chrystia.Freeland@parl.gc.ca

Twitter: @cafreeland

 

The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development

Email: Ahmed.Hussen@parl.gc.ca

Twitter: @HonAhmedHussen

 

Please contact your local Member of Parliament

Find out who your MP is and their contact information here: https://www.ourcommons.ca/members/en