Ford Tells Ontarians 'Taking The Summer Off' To Collect CERB To Go Back To Work

Doug Ford has a strong message for some people taking CERB in Ontario. Speaking on Thursday, August 6, the premier noted he thinks some workers are "sitting back" and taking the government payments for the rest of summer. He urged them to go back to work instead, suggesting they risk losing their jobs.

Ford was speaking at his daily media briefing on Thursday and he appeared to accuse some Ontarians of having no desire to go back to work.

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"The CERB's $2,000 and their job might be paying $2,500 or up to $3,000," he said.

"Some people — not all, but some people — are sitting back and thinking 'I'm gonna take the rest of the summer off and I'll collect the $2,000.'"

Ford says he has been hearing this complaint "more and more" from companies in the province.

"Almost every company I speak to is saying we have positions, so we just need people to get back to work.

"I encourage you to go back to work because, legally, if they call you back and you don't come back, then you lose your job. That's up to the company, but you won't have a job anymore."

In a final note on the topic, Ford added that the "CERB's not going to last forever, as we all know."

It seems he's right about that.

On July 31, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government wants to move Canadians off of the benefit soon. He intends to move them onto Employment Insurance instead, where possible.

The CERB was initially launched by Trudeau on April 6, just a few weeks after Ontario entered a state of emergency for the first time amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Canada's website, the emergency response benefit, which provides $500 per week to those eligible, will be available until October 3, 2020.

It was originally set to end this summer but was extended by another eight weeks in an announcement back in mid-June.

However, shortly after that confirmation, some people were reporting their CERB payments were being cut.