Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says nearly 10,000 businesses have applied for the federal government’s wage-subsidy program to help them deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.
The emergency measure will cover 75 per cent of wages for employers that have seen sharp declines in revenue since the novel coronavirus hit Canada hard in March, up to $847 per worker.
Applications opened early this morning and payments can be retroactive to the middle of March.
Trudeau says money under the program will start flowing by May 7.
It may take longer for the money to arrive for companies that aren’t signed up for direct deposit with the Canada Revenue Agency.
Officials have been unable to say how many workers currently receiving the Canada Emergency Response Benefit may be rehired through the wage subsidy, but Trudeau is reminding workers they can’t receive financial help from both programs at the same time.
What that means if that some people may have to pay back whatever they received through the $2,000-a-month CERB if the wage subsidy covers the same time period.
So far, the CERB has paid out $24.5 billion in payments to 7.28 million unique applicants for the program, based on the latest figures posted this morning by the federal government.
Trudeau also says his government is working with other federal political parties to establish support mechanisms for students.
Trudeau hinted that legislation aimed at helping students will be a focus when members of Parliament hold their first virtual House of Commons session tomorrow and a special in-person sitting on Wednesday.
He also referenced Ontario’s decision over the weekend to boost the pay of essential workers by $4 an hour as an example of other types of measures the government is talking about with the provinces.
Trudeau also said the federal government has no plans to close borders or restrict movement between different regions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 as provinces begin to re-open their economies.
Quebec and Ontario, which account for the vast majority of Canada’s COVID-19 cases, will begin laying out their plans for recovery today.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is set to unveil a framework for reopening the province’s locked down economy, while Quebec Premier Francois Legault is slated to focus on schools, with economic plans expected tomorrow.
Saskatchewan, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick have already announced tentative timelines for a return to some semblance of normality.
Despite evidence of some flattening COVID-19 curves, both politicians and public health officials are stressing the need for a cautious, go slow approach to guard against a surge of second wave infections.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has also said that none of the recovery plans hinge on people being immune to catching COVID-19 twice.
Yesterday the country reported more than 1,200 new cases of COVID-19 and at least 95 additional deaths.
The national toll to date stands at 46,895 confirmed cases, including 2,560 deaths and 17,334 cases resolved.
(Canadian Press)
