Federal and Provincial Emergency Benefits Announced
Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB)
The federal government has just released more information regarding federal financial help for Canadians who have lost income due to COVID-19.
The new CERB, which replaces the two benefits announced last week (the Federal Emergency Care Benefit and the Federal Emergency Support Benefit) will provide $2,000 per month for four months for the following people:
- Canadians who have lost their job
- Canadians who are sick with COVID-19, or taking care of someone who is sick with COVID-19
- Canadians who are quarantined
- Working parents who must stay at home without pay to care for sick children, sick elderly people, or children who are at home due to school closures
- Canadians who have a job, but are not receiving income because of disruptions to their work
- Self-employed individuals who are otherwise not eligible for EI
An online application portal is expected to launch April 6 and the money should be received by applicants within 10 days of signing up.
For more information on the CERB, please click here.
BC Emergency Benefit for Workers
The BC government has released information regarding the BC Emergency Benefit for Workers which is one-time payment of $1,000 to people who lost income because of COVID-19. BC residents are eligible if they are in receipt of:
- Federal Employment Insurance; or
- New Federal Emergency Care Benefit (replaced with the Canada Emergency Response Benefit – see above); or
- New Federal Emergency Support Benefit (replaced with the Canada Emergency Response Benefit – see above)
Applications will be open starting April 2020, and the one-time payment will be made May 2020.
For more information on the BC Emergency Benefit for Workers, please click here.
