Many seniors who received the Canada emergency response benefit (CERB) in 2020 saw a loss or reduction in their federal Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) payments as a result.
The federal government will provide an automatic, one-time repayment to alleviate the financial hardship of seniors who saw a loss of GIS or Allowance by compensating them for the full, annualized loss amount. Seniors will not need to take any action to receive the one-time payment.
When will I receive the repayment?
Payment is scheduled for April 19, 2022 and will include repayment of GIS from July 2021 to June 2022. Regular GIS payments will resume July 2022.
Is this payment taxable?
No. This payment will be non-taxable and non-reportable.
Will this payment affect other benefits?
This payment will not affect eligibility for income support programs, such as the Old Age Security (OAS) or the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) and will not impact the amount you receive through the provincial SAFER program or what you pay for provincially subsidized housing.
Will this happen again next year?
The federal government has introduced formal legislation to ensure that this issue does not reoccur in the future
