Canada Emergency Response Benefit And Ontario Economic Relief – COVID-19

Today we saw a large number of developments and announcements at both the federal and provincial levels.

Federally, the government passed an aid package bill worth $107 billion to help Canadians. This bill will boost access to employment insurance and other programs that will flow money to workers and businesses in need.

Parliament also passed Bill C-13, An Act Respecting Certain Measures in Response to COVID-19, that will provide tens of billions of dollars in financial aid to Canadians and their businesses hurt by the COVID-19 outbreak. It establishes the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB). This taxable benefit would provide $2,000 a month for up to four months for workers who lose their income as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The CERB would be a simpler and more accessible combination of the previously announced Emergency Care Benefit and Emergency Support Benefit.