As part of its response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the Government
of Canada has created a number of emergency benefits to assist
individuals and businesses through these troubling financial times.
For businesses, the centerpiece of the Government's response
has been two wage subsidies – the Temporary 10% Wage Subsidy
and the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS).
The Government originally pegged the cost of the CEWS at $73
billion and with news that the program will be extended into the
summer [see: Emergency wage subsidy
extending into summer: PM], it appears that the cost of these
wage subsidies will exceed $100 billion.
While the Government has focused its resources to ensuring that
these benefits are delivered in a timely fashion, it is inevitable
that the Government will pivot and focus its resources to ensuring
that these benefits were delivered to those who actually qualified
for them. Given the design of the CEWS, any CRA audits into a
business' CEWS
