COVID-19: Cross Country Update (April 15, 2020)

Federal

The Government of Canada announced the following measures:

Expanding Access to the Canada Emergency Response Benefit

The Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) provides $2,000 every four weeks for up to four months to workers who lose their income as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The CERB is available to workers who meet all of the following conditions:

• live in Canada and are at least 15 years old;
• stopped working because of COVID-19 or are eligible for EI regular or sickness benefits;
• have not voluntarily quit their job; and
• had income of at least $5,000 in 2019 or in the 12 months prior to the date of their application.

To help more Canadians benefit from the CERB, the government is announcing changes to the eligibility rules to: