The federal government has unveiled a new round of benefit programs to help those impacted by COVID lockdowns.
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland says the Canada Recovery Benefit will expire Saturday and will be replaced by a targeted benefit that helps individuals whose work is affected by the pandemic.
Freeland says the Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit will go live Sunday and will provide $300 a week to support individuals who are unemployed or self-employed for reasons related to the pandemic or faced a 50% reduction in their average weekly income compared to the previous year.
Those who used CRB were eligible for up to $500 per week.
Freeland says the benefit will extend to cover those who are not eligible for employment insurance.
Other new programs announced:
-The Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program will provide help through wage and rent subsidies for hotels, tourist outfitters, travel agencies and restaurants with a subsidy rate of up to 75%.
-The Hardest-Hit Business Recovery Program will provide support through the wage and rent subsidy programs for other businesses that have faced deep losses, with a subsidy rate of up to 50%.
-The Lockdown Support Program has been created in case the pandemic requires further lockdowns in parts of the country and for those businesses that face lockdowns, the federal government will make the wage and rent subsidy available up to the maximum amount for the duration of the shutdown.
-The government is extending the Canada Sickness Benefit and Canada Caregiving Benefit until May 7 and will increase the maximum duration of each benefit by two additional weeks.
-The government is extending the Canada Recovery Hiring Program until May 7 for eligible employers with current revenue losses above 10%. It will also increase the subsidy rate to 50%.
Freeland says they plan to spend $7.4 billion to support workers and businesses from a period of October 24 until May 7.
She notes that compares to the $289 billion spent on income and business supports since the start of the pandemic.
Freeland says “Temporary local lockdowns are still a possibility in the months to come. We want Canadians to know that we intend now to put in place a measure that would snap into action immediately to support workers in the event of a new local lockdown.”
