Canadians expecting to exhaust their Canada Emergency Response Benefits at the end of August will now have more support.
Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough announced Thursday that the CERB will be extended by four more weeks to a maximum of 28 weeks.
“For Canadian families who rely on the CERB, this means that they’ll be supported as they figure out what’s happening with school and daycare for their kids in the fall,” said Qualtrough.
Most people who are still receiving the benefit as of Sept. 27 will be transitioned to a revamped Employment Insurance program.
Canadians with a minimum of 120 hours of insurable work will receive at least $400 a week for a minimum of 26 weeks.
To help people qualify with a minimum of 120 hours of work, EI claimants will receive a one-time credit of 300 insurable hours for regular benefit claims and 480 insurable hours for special benefit claims.
“Very simply, this means that most Canadians who’ve worked during the qualifying period will now be able to claim EI,” said Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland.
According to the federal government, 8.5 million individuals have benefitted from the CERB as of early August, and more than four million have transitioned off the CERB and returned to work.
The federal government is also proposing three new recovery benefits to help those who may not qualify for EI benefits and those who become sick with COVID-19.
The Canada Recovery Benefit would provide $400 per week for up to 26 weeks to workers who are not eligible for EI, mainly the self-employed and those working in the gig economy.
The Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit would provide $500 per week for up to two weeks for workers who are sick or must self-isolate for COVID-19-related reasons.
The Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit would provide $500 per week for up to 26 weeks per household for eligible Canadians unable to work because they must care for:
- a child under age 12 due to the closures of schools or daycares because of COVID-19.
- a family member with a disability or a dependent because their day program or care facility is closed due to COVID-19.
- a child, a family member with a disability, or a dependent who is not attending school, daycare, or other care facilities under the advice of a medical professional due to being at high-risk if they contract COVID-19.
New legislation to support the new benefits is expected to be introduced when Parliament resumes in late September.
