FEDERAL SUPPORT:

Federal Parliament passed C-13, the COVID-19 Emergency Response Act, to accomplish what is suggested in the bill’s title. Most impactful among the measures is a new Canada Emergency Response Benefit, which will provide $2,000 a month for up to 4 months to:

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• workers who must stop working due to COVID-19 and do not have access to paid leave or other income support.

• workers who are sick, quarantined, or taking care of someone who is sick with COVID-19.

• working parents who must stay home without pay to care for children that are sick or need additional care because of school and daycare closures.

• workers who still have their employment but are not being paid because there is currently not sufficient work and their employer has asked them not to come to work.

• wage earners and self-employed individuals, including contract workers, who would not otherwise be eligible for Employment Insurance.

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Canadians can make application through a secure web portal
set to launch in early April, with benefits received within 10 days
of application submission.

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Support for individuals and families:

• Increasing the Canada Child Benefit

• Special Goods and Services Tax credit payment

• Extra time to file income tax returns

• Mortgage support

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Support for people facing unemployment

• The new Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB)

• Apply for Employment Insurance

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Support for people who are sick, quarantined,
or in directed self-isolation

• The new Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB)

• Improved access to Employment Insurance sickness benefits

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Support for people who are unable to work

• The new Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB)

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Support for people who need it most

• A new Indigenous Community Support Fund

• Enhancing the Reaching Home initiative

• Support for women’s shelters and sexual assault centres

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Support for seniors

• Reduced minimum withdrawals for Registered Retirement Income Funds

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Support for students and recent graduates

• A moratorium on the repayment of Canada Student Loans

SUPPORT FOR BUSINESS

 • Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy

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PROVINCIAL SUPPORT PROGRAMS IN ADDITION
TO THE FEDERAL SUPPORT ABOVE:

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ONTARIO:

Ontario took the approach to provide direct financial support to individuals in the form of grants and reliefs to allow for more cash
in the hands of people to pay for necessities such as food and rent.
For businesses, the government is taking an approach to allow more short-term cash in the hands of businesses by focusing on deferring taxes and other payments.

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Support for individuals and families

• Doubling the Guaranteed Annual Income System (GAINS) maximum payment for
  low-income seniors to $166 per month for individuals and $332 per month for couples for six months;

• Payments to families with children of $200 per child up to 12 years of age and $250
  for those with special needs;

• Six months of relief from loan payments and interest accrual for students under
  the Ontario Student Assistance Program;

• Relief from energy bills including:

- Setting electricity prices for time-of-use customers at the lowest rate
(off-peak price) for 24 hours a day for a period of 45 days

- $9 million to expand the eligibility for the Low‑income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP); 
 

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• $200 million in new funding to provide temporary emergency supports for people
  in financial need as well as funding to municipalities and other service providers
  so they can quickly respond to local needs.

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Support for Businesses

• Five months of relief from interest and penalties associated with payments for the majority
  of provincially administered taxes;

• Six months of relief from Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) payments by allowing deferrals;

• Deferring municipal remittance of education property tax for the upcoming quarter to school boards by 90 days. This will provide municipalities with the flexibility to provide property tax deferrals for businesses and residents;

• A temporary increase to the Employer Health Tax (EHT) exemption; and

• Setting electricity prices for time-of-use customers the lowest rate (off-peak price) for 24
  hours a day for a period of 45 days.

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BRITISH COLUMBIA

Support for individuals and families

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• Parents who can, should care for their children at home

• Temporary emergency funding is available for child care centers

• B.C. student loan payments are frozen for six months until September 30, 2020

• The Government of Canada has paused the repayment of Canada Student Loans 
  until September 30, 2020, with no accrual of interest

• The BC Emergency Benefit for Workers provides a one-time $1,000 payment for people who lost income

• A one-time enhancement to the climate action tax credit will be paid in July 2020
  for moderate to low-income families

• Employers must excuse workers for sickness without requiring a doctor’s note

• Taking unpaid, job-protected leave due to COVID-19

• Government of Canada support for workers

• WorkSafeBC resources for workers

• Support for renters and landlords include a new temporary rental supplement,
  halting evictions and freezing rents

• BC Temporary Rent Supplement Explained

• BC Housing has temporarily suspended evictions of tenants in subsidized
  and affordable housing

• BC Hydro customers can defer payments or access grants to help pay their hydro bills

Support for Businesses

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• Some provincial taxes have been deferred, delayed or reduced

• What you must do if employees fall ill, are absent from work or your business
  is unexpectedly disrupted

• Economic resources for businesses

• Government of Canada support for businesses

• WorkSafeBC resources for employers

• People who have traveled outside of Canada and returned after March 12,
  2020 must self-isolate

• Canadians who are abroad must register with the Government of Canada

• Global Affairs Canada is offering emergency loans for people abroad attempting
  to return to Canada

• The Canada-U.S. border is closed to all non-essential traffic

• BC Parks campgrounds and accommodations are closed until April 30.
  The Discover Camping reservation system is suspended

• Destination BC resources for the tourism industry

SASKATCHEWAN

Support for individuals and families

• Job Protected Leave

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Amendments to The Saskatchewan Employment Act will ensure:

• Employees can access unpaid public health emergency leave;

• Removal of the requirement of 13 consecutive weeks of employment with
  an employer prior to accessing sick leave; and

• Removal of the provision requiring a doctor's note or certificate

• Self-Isolation Support Program

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The Self-Isolation Support Program is targeted at Saskatchewan workers forced to self- isolate in order to curb the spread of
COVID-19, and who are not covered by recent federally announced employment insurance programs and other supports. Administered by the Ministry of Finance, the program will provide $450 per week, for a maximum of two weeks or $900.

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To be eligible, residents of Saskatchewan must meet these criteria:

• They have contracted COVID-19 or are showing symptoms;or

• They have been in contact with an individual infected with COVID-19; or

• They have recently returned from international travel and have been required
  to self-isolate;

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• They are not eligible for compensation including sick leave, vacation leave
  from their employer;

• They do not have private insurance covering such disruptions;

• They are not covered by other programs such as federal employment insurance
  that has been updated

• Student Loan Repayment Moratorium

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Effective immediately, a six-month student loan repayment moratorium has been put in place, mirroring a similar federal provision. This provides individuals with student loans immediate relief, and comes at a $4 million cost to the provincial government.

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Labour Market Services

Saskatchewan Labour Market Services offer career, employment and training information and services to Saskatchewan residents. These services continue to be available from anywhere in the province, by calling or emailing your nearest Labour Market Services office.

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Immigration Services

If you have applied through the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) 
and have questions about your application or status or require other assistance,
please contact (306) 798 7467 or immigration@gov.sk.ca

ALBERTA

Support for individuals and families

• An education property tax freeze, plus a six-month deferral for businesses.

• emergency isolation support for working Albertans who must self-isolate

• 90-day utility payment deferral for residential and business customers

• 6-month student loan repayment deferral

• corporate income tax changes and other supports for employers

Support for Businesses

• WCB premiums deferral for private sector businesses and support for small
  and medium businesses

• New temporary physician billing codes to help facilitate virtual care.

corporate income tax changes and other supports for employers

QUEBEC

Support for individuals and families

• the suspension of student loan debt repayment for 6 months, including borrowers whose accounts are in collection

A program to offer financial assistance to meet the needs of workers who, because they are in isolation to counter the propagation of the COVID-19 virus, cannot earn all of their work income and are not eligible for another financial assistance program.