Log in or register
Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn

ARTICLE · 06 MAY 2020

Covid-19 Impact: Expanded Access To Canada Emergency Response Benefit And Support For Essential Workers

Cassels
Cassels
Contributor
Cassels

Cassels

Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP is a Canadian law firm focused on serving the transaction, advocacy,...

View firm profile
Explore more from Cassels

On April 15, 2020, the Prime Minister announced that the government will be expanding access to the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) and will be offering wage support to low-income essential workers.

CanadaCoronavirus (COVID-19)
Stefanie Di Francesco
Stefanie Di Francesco
Author LinkedIn connections

On April 15, 2020, the Prime Minister announced that the government will be expanding access to the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) and will be offering wage support to low-income essential workers. These measures, which expand upon previously announced changes to the CERB, are aimed at both helping more Canadians benefit from the CERB and ensuring that essential workers earn at least as much from their employment as they would from the CERB.

Overview of the CERB

The government established the CERB to support workers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The CERB is a taxable benefit that provides $2,000 every four weeks for up to 16 weeks to eligible workers who cease working and lose their income for a variety of reasons relating to the COVID-19 pandemic, including those who would otherwise be ineligible for regular employment insurance (EI) benefits, such as contractors and self-employed individuals.

We operate a free-to-view policy, asking only that you register in order to read all of our content. Please login or register to view the rest of this article.

Register for freeORLog in

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.

View source

Related Articles

Legal Intelligence Newsletters: sign up for the latest legal and regulatory news on your chosen topics

Read more about

Related Comparative Guides

See more popular content from

Article

Canada Announces New Counter-Tariffs And Support Measures Following US Tariff Actions

Canada has announced sweeping counter-tariffs ranging from 15% to 50% on approximately C$27.6 billion of US imports, effective September 8, 2026, in direct response to President Trump's 50% Section 338 tariffs on Canadian goods. The measures target key sectors including steel, aluminum, dairy, appliances, and electronics, while the federal government simultaneously rolls out C$7.5 billion in support for affected businesses and workers. Understanding whether products qualify as US goods under Canada's markin
CanadaInternational Law
Cassels
Cassels
Article

WorkSafeBC Proposes Changes To Laws Regarding Workplace Harassment And Violence

WorkSafeBC is proposing significant amendments to British Columbia's Occupational Health and Safety Regulation that would fundamentally reshape how employers address workplace harassment, violence, and psychological health. The proposed changes introduce expanded definitions, new prevention program requirements, and obligations to identify and control psychosocial hazards. These amendments could require most B.C. employers to substantially revise their existing workplace policies and procedures.
CanadaEmployment and HR
Cassels
Cassels
Article

Charity And NPO Insights: Key Committee Recommendations For The 2026 Federal Budget

In September 2026, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance (the Committee) released its recommendations for the 2026 Federal Budget. While these recommendations do not form part of the Budget itself, they provide insight into current political policy priorities and proposals that may be reflected in future legislative and fiscal initiatives. In this article, we highlight several recommendations of particular relevance to charities and not-for-profit organizations, with a specific focus on the proposed social sector fund.
CanadaCorporate/Commercial Law
Cassels
Cassels
Article

Cassels On Competition: October 2026

More particularly, the Plaintiff had argued that the drip pricing provision in subsection 52(1.3) of the Competition Act requires “all-inclusive pricing” and forbids all forms of “fragmented or segmented pricing,” and that Ticketmaster’s partitioned price representations are thus prohibited as a criminal conduct and amount to false or misleading representations covered by the criminal misleading advertising provision in section 52
CanadaAntitrust/Competition Law
Cassels
Cassels
Article

Bill C-39: A New Era For Canadian Mining Project Approvals?

The Canadian government has introduced Bill C-39, the Building Canada Strong Act, proposing sweeping reforms to federal project approval processes that could fundamentally reshape mining project development and financing. The legislation aims to consolidate multiple federal reviews into a single coordinated process with a one-year decision timeline, while maintaining environmental protections and Indigenous consultation requirements.
CanadaGovernment, Public Sector
Cassels
Cassels