CERB to EI transition will be done ‘seamlessly’

OTTAWA — Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough says the federal government will smoothly funnel millions of Canadians from its key COVID-19 financial aid program into employment insurance, as a major end-of-month deadline looms.

Qualtrough said people currently tapping into the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) would be transitioned into EI “seamlessly and without benefit disruption.” She reiterated claims that the EI program is prepared to handle an influx in recipients, who will need to be transitioned from CERB at the end of August.

“It’s robust, it’s ready to ingest the millions of Canadians it needs to,” she said during Question Period.

The federal government has said that it will terminate the CERB, expected to cost taxpayers $82 billion, by end of month, as it seeks to grapple with a population that is slowly returning to work.

Qualtrough said the government was “weeks away from making that transition” in the House of Commons.

Winding down the program underscores the difficult balancing act facing the government under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as it seeks to wean Canadians off COVID-19 supports while also ensuring that unemployed or partially-employed workers continue to receive adequate coverage.

The CERB program has been criticized for being overly generous at $2,000 per month, creating a disincentive for some recipients to return to work.