COVID-19 Resources

Employment Insurance (EI)

For employees with insurable employment, EI is available for job loss, lay off, or reduced hours.

For Whom?

• Those who were employed in insurable employment
• Have lost their job through no fault of their own
• Have been without work and without pay for at least seven consecutive days in the last 52 weeks
• Have worked for the required number of insurable employment hours in the last 52 weeks
• Are ready, willing and capable of working each day
• Are actively looking for work (must keep a written record of employers contacted, including when they were contacted).

Benefits

The basic rate for calculating EI benefits is 55% of your average insurable weekly earnings, up to a maximum amount. As of January 1, 2020, the maximum insurable earnings amount is $573 per week or $54,2000 per year.

Implementation

The one-week waiting period for EI sickness benefits will be waived for new claimants who are quarantined so they can be paid for the first week of their claim. People claiming EI sickness benefits due to quarantine will not have to provide a medical certificate.

How to Apply

https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei/ei-sickness.html

References

https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei/ei-regular-benefit/eligibility.html

https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei/ei-self-employed-workers.html

Canada Emergency Response Benefit Act (CERB)

If you are not eligible for EI, CERB intended to be simpler and more accessible combination of, the previously announced Emergency Care Benefit and Emergency Support Benefit (replaced by CERB). If you are eligible for EI and for the CERB, you can only choose ONE program.

For Whom?

• Wage earners, self-employed individuals, contract workers who do not qualify for Employment Insurance
• Those still employed but are not being paid due to insufficient work or employer requested them not to come to work
• Those who must stop working due to COVID-19 without access to paid leave or other income support
• Those who are sick, quarantined, or taking care of someone with COVID-19
• Working parents who must stay home without pay to care for children due to school closures

Benefits

$2,000 a month for up to four months. This amount is taxable.

Implementation

• Application portal slated to open April 6
• May apply for payment for any four-week period falling between March 15, 2020 and October 3, 2020
• CERB will be paid every four weeks, with the first payment promised within 10 days of application

How to Apply

CERB Portal to be available April 6 via the Canada Revenue Agency Portal

Reference

https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2020/03/introduces-canada-emergency-response-benefit-to-help-workers-and-businesses.html

Canada Child Benefit

Increase in the tax-free monthly payment made to eligible families to help with the cost of raising children.

For Whom?

• Parents or individuals who take care of, or have, children under the age of 18
• Parents or individuals whose child starts to live with, or returns to live with, after a temporary period with someone else
• A person who begins, ends, or changes a shared custody arrangement and gets custody of a child
• You, or your spouse or common-law partner

Benefits

The federal government is providing an extra $300 per child through the Canada Child Benefit (CCB) for 2019-20. This will mean approximately $550 more for the average family.

Implementation

This benefit will be delivered as part of the scheduled CCB payment in May.

How to Apply

Those who receive it already do not need to re-apply.

https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/child-family-benefits/canada-child-benefit-overview/canada-child-benefit-apply.html

Reference

https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/child-family-benefits/canada-child-benefit-overview/canada-child-benefit-before-you-apply.html

https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/economic-response-plan/covid19-individuals.html#increasing_canada_child_benefit

Special Goods and Services Tax Credit Payment

A one-time special payment by early May through the Goods and Services Tax (GSTC) credit for low- and modest-income families.

For Whom?

You are generally eligible for the GST/HST credit if you are considered a Canadian resident for income tax purposes the month before and at the beginning of the month in which the Canada Revenue Agency makes a payment. You also need to meet one of the following criteria:

• You are at least 19 years old
• You have (or had) a spouse or common-law partner
• You are (or were) a parent and live (or lived) with your child

Benefits

The average additional benefit will be close to $400 for single individuals and close to $600 for couples.

Implementation

This benefit will be delivered as part of the scheduled CCB payment in May.

How to Apply

There is no need to apply for this payment. If you are eligible, you will get it automatically.

Reference

https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/child-family-benefits/gsthstc-eligibility.html

Tentative Federal Financial Programs

The following federal programs are not yet in force, but have been legislated in support of businesses affected by COVID-19.

Canadian Emergency Wave Subsidy

• The government is providing eligible employers a temporary wage subsidy of 75% to help keep employees on the payroll through the Canadian Emergency Wage Subsidy.
• To be eligible, your business revenue must have gone down by at least 30%. It will also cover non-profits, charities, and likely, associations.
• The government will cover the first $58,700 that Canadians earn, up to $847 a week and it will be back dated to March 15th.

Sources

https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2020/03/introduces-canada-emergency-response-benefit-to-help-workers-and-businesses.html

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-trudeau-says-businesses-non-profits-charities-all-eligible-for-wage/

Business Credit Availability

The Business Credit Availability Program (BCAP) will allow the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) and Export Development Canada (EDC) to provide more than $10 billion of additional support, largely targeted to small and medium-sized businesses. The BDC process works fairly quickly and requests should be processed in just a few weeks.

Sources

https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/programs/financial-sector-policy/business-credit-availability-program.html

https://www.bdc.ca/en/pages/special-support.aspx?special-initiative=covid19

https://www.edc.ca/en/campaign/coronavirus-covid-19.html

Additional Federal Support Measures

Credits and Benefit

• Temporary Wage Subsidy for Employers
• Registered Retirement Income Funds (RRIFs) minimum withdrawal

Deferral Dates

• Individuals, Self-employed, Corporations, and Trusts
• Student Loans
• Mortgage Support Payment Deferral

Loans for Businesses

• Various Loans for Small and Medium Enterprises

Complete List of Measures for Businesses

• Various Support Measures

British Columbia

BC Emergency Benefit for Workers

The BC government has introduced a one-time, tax free payment of $1,000 to BC workers whose work has been affected by COVID-19. It's available for those now under Federal programs (Federal EI or CERB) as a result of COVID-19. This payment is also available for non-EI eligible workers. Qualifications include employees who have been or are laid off, self-employed, self-quarantined, taking care of someone who is sick and taking care of a child due to childcare closures.

HOW TO APPLY
The BC Emergency Benefit for Workers is a one-time payment that will be made in May 2020. Applications will be open in the coming weeks and further instructions from government will be given. BC residents who receive federal Employment Insurance, the new federal Emergency Response benefit are eligible.

BC Climate Action Tax Credit

The BC government has enhanced payment of the BC Climate Action Tax Credit. They estimate 86% of families will see more money back in their pockets to a maximum of $218 for adults and $64 per child. Once you have filed tax returns, and are determined to be eligible for this, you will see the benefit.

HOW TO APPLY
The additional one-time payment will be made in July 2020 on top of the regular credit amount for qualifying individuals and families. You are eligible to receive the credit if you are a resident of BC, and you are 19 years or older, have a spouse or common-law partner, or are a parent who resides with your child. You will receive the credit payment from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).

Support for Renters and Landlords

This comprehensive package supports renters by:

• halting new and active evictions, except for exceptional circumstances, so that no one is evicted because of COVID-19 and people can remain in their homes during this crisis;
• helping renters pay a portion of their rent each month through a new temporary rental supplement of up to $500 per month, building on other federal and provincial financial supports;
• freezing annual rent increases to ensure that landlords cannot apply an annual rent increase for existing tenants during the COVID-19 crisis;
• supporting tenants in social distancing and self-isolation by providing them the right to prevent landlords from accessing rental units without the tenant’s consent (for example, for showings or routine maintenance), except in exceptional cases where access is needed to respond to urgent health and safety concerns or to prevent undue damage to the unit;
• restricting methods of service for Residential Tenancy Branch disputes or notices to reduce the potential transmission of COVID-19 (no in-person service) and allowing service by email; and
• allowing landlords to restrict the use of common areas by tenants or guests to protect against the transmission of COVID-19.

The new changes support landlords by:

• providing a new temporary rental supplement of up to $500 per month, which will be paid directly to landlords, ensuring they continue to receive rental income during the pandemic;
• preserving the ability for landlords to apply to the Residential Tenancy Branch for permission to issue a notice to end tenancy in exceptional circumstances, for example when the safety of landlord or other tenants is at risk;
• allowing landlords to restrict the use of common areas by tenants or guests to protect against the transmission of COVID-19; and
• restricting methods of service for Residential Tenancy Branch disputes or notices to reduce the potential transmission of COVID-19 (no in-person service) and allowing service by email.

Sources

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/employment-business/covid-19-financial-supports

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/taxes/income-taxes/personal/credits/climate-action

https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2020MAH0048-000561