Federal government to end Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) on Saturday to usher in a new benefits program for people in industries affected by the closures.
On Thursday, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland announced that Canada’s new worker lockout benefit will take effect this Sunday, replacing the Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) that expires on October 23.
Here’s what we know about the new benefits program and what it means to those currently on the CRB.
What is the Canada Labor Lock Benefit?
The Canada Worker Lockout Benefit will provide $ 300 per week to people whose work is affected by lockdowns.
At Thursday’s press conference, Freeland said this new benefits program is taking a more specific approach and was created in preparation for industries that may be affected by possible future temporary closures.
Who is eligible for the new benefit?
The government stressed that it is “strictly available” to people whose jobs are cut short as a direct result of a government-imposed public health lockdown.
It is available to workers regardless of whether they qualify for employment insurance. Workers who qualify for EI cannot receive both benefits for the same period.
What happens if I lose my job because I didn’t get vaccinated?
The details of the program released so far specifically say that the program is not open to people “whose loss of income or employment is due to their refusal to adhere to a vaccine mandate.”
How long will the program last?
Canada’s lockout benefit will be available until May 7, 2022, and benefits will be available throughout the government-imposed lockout period. If applicable, retroactive applications dating back to October 24 can be accepted.
What was the CRB?
The CRB was introduced last September to support employed and self-employed individuals directly affected by COVID-19 and not eligible for employment insurance. People who were unemployed or had their income reduced by at least 50 percent also qualified for CRB.
Successful applicants received between $ 540 and $ 900 for a two-week period, depending on when they applied for CRB. After two weeks, individuals could apply for CRB again for a total of 27 eligibility periods.
The CRB replaced the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), which was introduced early in the pandemic in response to the COVID-19 that disrupted the Canadian economy.
CERB paid people $ 2,000 a month for four months. Applicants had to be at least 15 years old and stop working due to COVID-19 related issues and have an income of at least $ 5,000 in 2019 or 12 months before applying.
Why is CRB replaced with Canada’s job lockout benefit?
Freeland said the change from the more general CRB to the more specific Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit was made “to fit in with the new phase of recovery,” noting that measures like CRB “were always designed to be temporary, to help us to overcome the crisis. ”
According to Freeland, the federal government is optimistic that Canada is showing signs of recovering from the pandemic and is ready to phase out support programs conducted during COVID’s harshest days – jobs have recovered, vaccination rates are high. , the borders are reopening and most of the The country seems to have the fourth wave under control.
“Now we are in a new phase; one that is very different from the darkest days in our fight against COVID, “Freeland said.
Eligibility for the Recovery Canada Sickness Benefit (CRSB) and the Canadian Recovery Care Benefit (CRCB) will run through May 7 and the maximum duration of each benefit will increase by an additional two weeks.
Reference-www.thestar.com