As part of an up to $27B COVID-19 Economic Response Plan, the Federal Government has introduced a number of measures to assist Canadians through economic hardship as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Two newly announced measures include the Emergency Care Benefit and the Emergency Support Benefit, which will provide temporary income support for workers, who do not qualify for Employment Insurance (“EI”), and parents.
Emergency Care Benefit
The Emergency Care Benefit will provide up to $900 bi-weekly for 15 weeks to:
- Workers, including the self-employed, who are quarantined or sick with COVID-19, but who do not qualify for EI sickness benefits;
- Workers, who are taking care of a family member who is sick with COVID-19, but who do not qualify for EI sickness benefits;
- Parents with children who require care or supervision due to school closures and are unable to earn employment income, irrespective of whether they qualify for EI.
Applicants will be required to attest that they meet the eligibility requirements and to re-confirm eligibility every two weeks.
Emergency Support Benefit
The Emergency Support Benefit will provide payments to workers who are unemployed and are not eligible for EI. At this time, the details of the amount payable to workers have not been released.
Applications for both benefits will be available in April 2020 and are still subject to Royal Assent.
We will continue to update our clients with information as it becomes available. If you have any questions about this or other COVID-19 questions, or would like assistance developing and/or reviewing pandemic plans, please do not hesitate to contact a Mathews Dinsdale lawyer, or refer to the Firm’s other COVID-19 website resources.
