Trudeau unveils new $2,000 per month benefit to streamline COVID-19 aid – Chilliwack Progress

Authored by theprogress.com and submitted by SARMS86

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announces a new benefit for Canadians who have lost their jobs due to COVID-19, on the steps of Rideau Cottage on Wednesday, March 25, 2020. (CPAC)

The prime minister has unveiled a new benefit to streamline aid for Canadians who have lost their jobs due to COVID-19.

Dubbed the Canada Emergency Response Benefit, the aid will replace earlier initiatives announced last week as part of a $82-billion funding package.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau unveiled the new benefit Wednesday (March 25) during his now-daily press conference on the steps of Rideau Cottage in Ottawa.

The aid will provide $2,000 per month, for four months, and applications should be available on April 6. The money will be paid out every four weeks and be available from March 15 until Oct. 3.

Around one million people have applied for EI in the past week due to the crisis. Trudeau said 143,000 of those applications have been processed and thousands of government employees have been redeployed to handle the influx.

Laid-off workers who have applied for EI due to coronavirus-related job losses will not need to reapply for this $2,000 benefit, which will be available for up to four months.

“Canadians who are eligible for EI regular and sickness benefits would still be able to access their normal EI benefits, if still unemployed, after the 16-week period covered by the CERB,” the government stated in a news release.

People who qualify for the money include workers who are sick, quarantined or have been laid off due to COVID-19; parents with sick family members, children or kids who must stay home because schools and daycares are closed; and who are contract workers or self-employed and losing work or closing up shop due to the virus. Trudeau said workers who still have jobs, but have seen their pay cut, will also qualify.

Canadians already on EI, whether regular or sickness benefits, will continue to receive that; if their benefits run out before Oct. 3 they can apply for the new benefit, if they are unable to return to work due to COVID-19.

The prime minister promised that direct support will come for small businesses, on top of the extra credit he said has been made available.

Trudeau also reiterated his call for Canadians to stay inside and to practice social distancing if they must leave the house.

To those not listening to the new rules, he said: “You’re making a dangerous choice.”

READ MORE: Trudeau promises $82B in economic supports in COVID-19 fight

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CleanAsparagus on March 25th, 2020 at 17:22 UTC »

THE ACTUAL LEGISLATION IS HERE (starts on page 8/45):

https://fin.canada.ca/drleg-apl/2020/nwmm-amvm-0320-l-bil.pdf

worker means a person who is at least 15 years of age, who is resident in Canada and who, for 2019 or in the 12- month period preceding the day on which they make an application under section 5, has a total income of at least $5,000 — or, if another amount is fixed by regulation, of at least that amount — from the following sources:

(a) employment;

(b) self-employment;

(c) benefits paid to the person under any of subsections 22(1), 23(1), 152.04(1) and 152.05(1) of the Employment Insurance Act; and

(d) allowances, money or other benefits paid to the person under a provincial plan because of pregnancy or in respect of the care by the person of one or more of their new-born children or one or more children placed with them for the purpose of adoption.

6 (1) A worker is eligible for an income support payment if

(a) the worker, whether employed or self-employed, ceases working for reasons related to COVID-19 for at least 14 consecutive days within the four-week period in respect of which they apply for the payment; and

(b) they do not receive, in respect of the consecutive days on which they have ceased working, (i) subject to the regulations, income from employment or self-employment,

(ii) benefitts, as defined in subsection 2(1) of the Employment Insurance Act, (iii) allowances, money or other benefits paid to the worker under a provincial plan because of pregnancy or in respect of the care by the worker of one or more of their new-born children or one or more children placed with them for the purpose of adoption, or

(iv) any other income that is prescribed by regulation.

Exclusion

(2) An employed worker does not cease work for the purpose of paragraph (1)(a) if they quit their employment voluntarily.

The1stCitizenOfTheIn on March 25th, 2020 at 17:11 UTC »

Dubbed the Canada Emergency Response Benefit, the aid will replace the two announced last week as part of a $82-billion funding package.

The aid will provide $2,000 per month, last for four months and applications should be available on April 6, Trudeau said.

Around one million people have applied for EI in the past week due to the crisis. Trudeau said 143,000 of those applications have been processed and thousands of government employees have been redeployed to handle the influx.

Laid-off workers who have applied for EI due to coronavirus-related job losses will instead get this $2,000 benefit for up to four months, after which they will be switched-over to standard EI if they are still out of work.

People who qualify for the money include

workers who are sick,

quarantined or have been laid off due to COVID-19,

parents with sick family members,

children or kids who must stay home because schools and daycares are closed,

and who are self-employed and losing work or closing up shop due to the virus.

Trudeau said workers who still have jobs, but have seen their pay cut, will also qualify.

The prime minister promised that direct support will come for small businesses, on top of the extra credit he said has been made available.

chemicalxv on March 25th, 2020 at 16:01 UTC »

lol that's more than I'm making actually working right now