EI Sick Benefit
- The requirement to provide a medical certificate to access EI sick benefits has been waived.
- One-week waiting period for those individuals in imposed quarantine that are eligible for EI sick benefits.
Emergency Care Benefit
- Canada Revenue Agency provides support to workers, including self-employed who are quarantined or sick with COVID-19 or a worker who is taking care of a family member who is sick with COVID-19.
- Parents with children who require care or supervision due to school or daycare closures and are unable to earn an income.
To apply for EI benefits, you can visit the website. Afterwards, you can apply to have the one-week waiting period waived by calling the government’s toll-free number at 1-833-381-2725, or teletypewriter at 1-800-529-3742. https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei/ei-sickness/apply.html
What if I don’t qualify for EI?
The federal aid package also includes the Emergency Care Benefit and the Emergency Support Benefit through the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).
The Emergency Care Benefit provides up to $900 every two weeks for up to 15 weeks, to those affected by COVID-19. It’s intended for those who don’t qualify for EI, can’t go to work and don’t have paid sick leave. The benefit plan will be available to apply for in April, 2020.
The Emergency Support Benefit will give up to $5 billion to workers ineligible for EI who face unemployment. It is intended to be a long-term income support, but the government hasn’t yet said how much it will provide, or how long funds will be given out. The benefit plan will be available to apply for in April, 2020.
Goods and Services Tax credit (GSTC) is for low- and modest-income families, who may require additional help with their finances, the Government is proposing to provide a one-time special payment by early May 2020 for the 2019-2020 benefit year through the Goods and Services Tax credit (GSTC).
Canada Child Benefit (CCB) payment is for families with children, who may also require additional support, the Government is proposing to increase the maximum annual Canada Child Benefit (CCB) payment amounts, only for the 2019-20 benefit year, by $300 per child.
Flexibility for Taxpayers
- For individuals (other than trusts), the return filing due date will be deferred until June 1, 2020.
- For trusts having a taxation year ending on December 31, 2019, the return filing due date will be deferred until May 1, 2020.
Mortgage Default Management Tools
- The Government, through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), is providing increased flexibility for homeowners facing financial difficulties to defer mortgage payments on homeowner CMHC -insured mortgage loans. CMHC will permit lenders to allow payment deferral beginning immediately.
For more information visit:
https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/economic-response-plan.html
https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/campaigns/covid-19-update.html
If you are in immediate need, please call 2-1-1, or go to www.211.ca to find the resources available to you.
