The Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS), enacted on April 11,
2020, is a key measure in the Government of Canada's COVID-19
Economic Response Plan. The CEWS is designed to provide financial
assistance to businesses experiencing substantial decreases in
revenue due to the COVID-19 pandemic in order to enable these
employers to retain or rehire their employees.
In this bulletin, we discuss the key features of the CEWS and
how to determine if your business qualifies for this relief.
What You Need To Know
- The Program: The CEWS program will be in place for a
12-week period and relief will be available in respect of three
claim periods starting March 15, April 12 and May 10, 2020,
respectively. Eligible employers will need to apply for the CEWS
for each claim period prior to October 2020 and attest that they
meet the eligibility requirements. The online application process
for the CEWS program will open on April 27, 2020.
