In many cases, people who don't qualify for CERB are being encouraged or even pressured into applying by family and friends, said the source. "I haven't heard any stories of people getting CERB just for the sake of getting $2,000 to buy a new entertainment system," he said. Qualtrough did acknowledge the CERB benefit comes with an elevated risk of fraud. Qualtrough expressed sympathy for those low-income Canadians who could wind up making their own financial situations worse by claiming the CERB while unqualified. She argued her government has taken steps to help those Canadians, such as boosting the GST credit and the Canada Child Benefit.

Source: CBC News May 01, 2020 21:00 UTC