Income Supports for Individuals
Worker Emergency Bridge Fund
A fund to help the self-employed and those laid-off workers who do not qualify for Employment Insurance. Government will provide a one-time, $1,000 payment, to bridge the gap between layoffs and closures and the federal government’s Canada Emergency Response Benefit
Canadian Emergency Response Benefit
If you stopped working because of COVID-19, the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) may provide you with temporary income support. The CERB provides $500 a week for up to 16 weeks. The program is retroactive to March 15th.The benefit will be available to workers:
- Residing in Canada, who are at least 15 years old;
- Who have stopped working because of COVID-19 and have not voluntarily quit their job;
- Who had income of at least $5,000 in 2019 or in the 12 months prior to the date of their application; and
- Who are or expect to be without employment or self-employment income for at least 14 consecutive days in the initial four-week period. For subsequent benefit periods, they expect to have no employment income.
The Benefit is only available to individuals who stopped work as a result of reasons related to COVID-19. If you are looking for a job but haven’t stopped working because of COVID-19, you are not eligible for the Benefit. Applications start April 6th. It must be done from your personal online MyAccount or via telephone. The portal will not be ready until April 6th Although you can’t apply yet, you can get ready now to ensure your application will be as easy and quick as possible. Visit: https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/benefits/apply-for-cerb-with-cra.html
