Support and information for Individuals and Families
1. Canada Emergency Response Benefit
- Support for people who are sick, quarantined, or in directed self-isolation.
- Support for people facing unemployment.
Taxable benefit of $2,000 a month for up to 4 months to:
- workers who must stop working due to COVID19 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.
Application details will be available through:
Please note:
- Canadians who are already receiving EI regular and sickness benefits as of March 25, 2020 would continue to receive their benefits and should not apply to the CERB.
- If their EI benefits end before October 3, 2020, they could apply for the CERB once their EI benefits cease, if they are unable to return to work due to COVID-19.
- Canadians who have already applied for EI and whose application has not yet been processed would not need to reapply.
- Canadians who are eligible for EI regular and sickness benefits would still be able to access their normal EI benefits, if still unemployed, after the 16-week period covered by the CERB.
**Please further note, Service Canada offices are closed until further notice for in-person appointments.
2. Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy
- The Government has announced an up to 75% wage subsidy for qualifying businesses, for up to 3 months, retroactive to March 15, 2020.
- If you work for a company that has been impacted by COVID-19, the Government will cover up to 75% of your salary on the first $58,700 that you earn. That means up to $847 a week.
- This will help businesses to keep and return workers to the payroll.
- If your business’s revenues have decreased by at least 30% because of COVID-19, you will be eligible for this subsidy.
- The number of employees you have will not determine whether or not you get this support.
- The wage subsidy will apply to non-profit organizations and charities, as well companies both big and small. This is about making sure people are still getting paid whether they work for a business that employs 10 people or 1,000 people.
- Please note, details on how to access the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy are forthcoming
3. Employment Insurance
a) Regular EI Benefits
Regular benefit: employment insurance due to loss of work.
Apply for benefits if you have lost your job through no fault of your own.
Criteria: 600 hours worked in 52 weeks immediately preceding lay off.
Strongly encouraged to apply ONLINE: Online Application for Regular EI Benefits
b) EI Sickness Benefits
Special benefit: Employment Insurance due to illness – need to meet criteria (below).
EI sickness benefits can provide you with up to 15 weeks of financial assistance if you cannot work for medical reasons.
Criteria:
you are unable to work for medical reasons.
your regular weekly earnings from work have decreased by more than 40% for at least one week.
you accumulated 600 insured hours* of work in the 52 weeks before the start of your claim or since the start of your last claim, whichever is shorter.
Other important information for EI sickness benefits:
- You could receive 55% of your earnings up to a maximum of $573 a week.
- The one-week waiting period for EI sickness benefits will be waived for new claimants who are quarantined.
- People claiming EI sickness benefits due to quarantine will not have to provide a medical certificate.
ONLINE Application + INFO for Sickness Benefits
Please note:
- Canadians who are already receiving EI regular and sickness benefits as of March 25, 2020 would continue to receive their benefits and should not apply to the Canada Emergency Response Benefit.
- If their EI benefits end before October 3, 2020, they could apply for the CERB once their EI benefits cease, if they are unable to return to work due to COVID-19.
- Canadians who have already applied for EI and whose application has not yet been processed would not need to reapply.
- Canadians who are eligible for EI regular and sickness benefits would still be able to access their normal EI benefits, if still unemployed, after the 16-week period covered by the CERB.
**Please further note, Service Canada offices are closed until further notice for in-person appointments
4. Canada Child Benefit
The 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.
This benefit will be delivered as part of the scheduled CCB payment in May.
- If you have previously applied for the CCB, you do not need to re-apply.
For more information on the CCB, such as how to apply and eligibility requirements, go to Canada Child Benefit or call 1-800-387-1193.
5. Special Goods and Services Tax (GST) Credit Payment
- A one-time special payment by early May through the Goods and Services Tax credit for low- and modest-income families.
- The average additional benefit will be close to $400 for single individuals and close to $600 for couples.
- There is no need to apply for this payment. If you are eligible, you will get it automatically.
6. Registered Retirement Income Fund (RRIF) Withdrawals
The Government is reducing the minimum Registered Retirement Income Funds withdrawal by 25% to help protect seniors’ retirement savings
7. Registered Retirement Income Fund (RRIF) Withdrawals
The Government is reducing the minimum Registered Retirement Income Funds withdrawal by 25% to help protect seniors’ retirement savings.Tax Filing Due Date and Payment Deferral
- The Government is deferring the filing due date for the 2019 tax returns of individuals.
- For individuals (other than trusts), the return filing due date will be deferred until June 1, 2020.
- We will also allow any new income tax balances due, or installments, to be deferred until after August 31, 2020 without incurring interest or penalties.
Note: If you expect to receive benefits under the Goods and Services Tax credit or the Canada Child Benefit, we encourage you to not delay your 2019 return filing to ensure that your entitlements are properly determined.
8. Tax Filing Due Date and Payment Deferral
- The Government is deferring the filing due date for the 2019 tax returns of individuals.
- For individuals (other than trusts), the return filing due date will be deferred until June 1, 2020.
- We will also allow any new income tax balances due, or instalments, to be deferred until after August 31, 2020 without incurring interest or penalties.
Note: If you expect to receive benefits under the Goods and Services Tax credit or the Canada Child Benefit, we encourage you to not delay your 2019 return filing to ensure that your entitlements are properly determined.
9. Mortgage Support
Canadian banks have committed to work with their customers on a case-by-case basis to find solutions to help them manage hardships caused by COVID-19. Canadians who are impacted by COVID-19 and experiencing financial hardship as a result should contact their financial institution regarding flexibility for a mortgage deferral. This allows flexibility to be available − when needed − to those who need it the most.
Contact your financial institution for further mortgage assistance.
The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and other mortgage insurers offer tools to lenders that can assist homeowners who may be experiencing financial difficulty. These include payment deferral, loan re-amortization, capitalization of outstanding interest arrears and other eligible expenses, and special payment arrangements.
Canada’s mortgage insurers are committed to providing homeowners with solutions to mitigate temporary financial hardship related to COVID-19. This includes permitting lenders to defer up to six monthly mortgage payments (interest and principal) for impacted borrowers. Deferred payments are added to the outstanding principal balance and subsequently repaid throughout the life of the mortgage.
10. Mortgage Support
Canadian banks have committed to work with their customers on a case-by-case basis to find solutions to help them manage hardships caused by COVID-19. Canadians who are impacted by COVID-19 and experiencing financial hardship as a result should contact their financial institution regarding flexibility for a mortgage deferral. This allows flexibility to be available − when needed − to those who need it the most.
Contact your financial institution for further mortgage assistance.
The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and other mortgage insurers offer tools to lenders that can assist homeowners who may be experiencing financial difficulty. These include payment deferral, loan re-amortization, capitalization of outstanding interest arrears and other eligible expenses, and special payment arrangements.
Canada’s mortgage insurers are committed to providing homeowners with solutions to mitigate temporary financial hardship related to COVID-19. This includes permitting lenders to defer up to six monthly mortgage payments (interest and principal) for impacted borrowers. Deferred payments are added to the outstanding principal balance and subsequently repaid throughout the life of the mortgage.
11. Travel Advice
a) Canadians abroad are strongly urged to register with Global Affairs Canada – LINK to register.
b) Canadians in need of emergency assistance should contact the Emergency Watch and Response Centre. LINK to the EWRC.
Email:
Telephone from outside Canada:
- Call the nearest embassy or consulate.
- LINK to list of embassies and consulates by destination and contact information
- +1 613 996 8885 (call collect where available)
- LINK to toll-free numbers in some countries
Telephone from inside Canada (non-passport-related):
- 613-996-8885
- 1-800-387-3124 (toll-free from the U.S. and Canada only)
Emergency passport services within Canada (weekends and statutory holidays)
- 1-800-567-6868 (toll-free from Canada only)
SMS:
- 613-209-1233 (carrier charges may apply)
- c) Financial help for Canadians outside Canada
To help Canadians return home or cope with challenges they are facing while travelling, the Government has created the COVID-19 Emergency Loan Program for Canadians Abroad, which will provide the option of an emergency loan of up to $5,000 for Canadians in need of emergency financial assistance to return home or cover basic needs while they work to return.
Canadians can apply for the emergency loan by:
12. Travelers Returning to Canada
Canada has put in place emergency measures that require mandatory 14-day self-isolation for all persons entering Canada, even if they do not have COVID-19 symptoms. LINK
To learn the steps you need to take to self-isolate, click on this LINK.
Upon return to Canada, you will be asked if you have a cough, fever or difficulty breathing. If you have any of these symptoms, you must:
- go immediately to your place of isolation using private transportation only, such as your personal vehicle
- isolate in a place where you will not be in contact with vulnerable people, such as older adults and individuals with underlying medical conditions
If you have symptoms but do not have a place to isolate, you will be required to isolate for 14 days in a facility designated by the Chief Public Health Officer.
If you do not have symptoms, you must self-isolate for 14 days and monitor your health for cough, fever or difficulty breathing. If you develop these symptoms within 14 days:
- continue to isolate yourself from others.
- immediately call a health care professional or public health authority and:
- describe your symptoms and travel history.
- follow their instructions carefully.
- do not have visitors, especially older adults, or those with medical conditions who are at a higher risk of developing serious illness.
Exemption to the order to self-isolate for 14 days is provided only to certain persons who cross the border regularly to ensure the continued flow of goods and services, and those who provide essential services. The exemption would apply to:
- healthy workers in the trade and transportation sector who are important for the movement of goods and people across the border, such as truck drivers and crew on any plane, train or marine vessel crossing the border.
- healthy people who have to cross the border to go to work, including health care providers and critical infrastructure workers.
More information for Canadians returning to Canada can be found at this LINK.
Travel/border Restrictions & Exemption’s
As of March 30, 2020:
- Canada will not allow anyone displaying symptoms of the COVID-19 respiratory illness to board domestic flights or inter-city passenger trains.
- These domestic travel restrictions will begin on Monday, March 30, at 12:00 p.m.
As of March 18, 2020, Canada will, for air travel specifically:
- Deny entry to people who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents. This measure carves out some designated exceptions including for aircrews, diplomats, immediate family members of Canadian citizens and at this time, US citizens.
- Limit international passenger flight arrivals to four airports: Toronto Pearson International Airport, Vancouver International Airport, Montréal-Trudeau International Airport, and Calgary International Airport.
- Mandate air operators to prevent all travellers who present symptoms of COVID-19 to board a plane.
- Domestic flights, as well as flights from sun destinations such as Mexico and the Caribbean, and St. Pierre-et-Miquelon, and, for the time being, flights from the United States, are not affected by this measure and can continue to operate on their current routes.
- The travel restrictions will not apply to commerce or trade.
The exemptions to the travel restrictions:
- foreign nationals travelling at the invitation of the Canadian government for a purpose related to the containment of COVID-19.
- close family members of Canadian citizens.
- close family members of Canadian permanent residents.
- a person who is authorized, in writing, by a consular officer of the Government of Canada to enter Canada for the purpose of reuniting immediate family members.
- a person registered as an Indian under the Indian Act.
- accredited diplomats and family members (including NATO, those under the United Nations Headquarters Agreement, other organizations).
- air crews.
- any foreign national, or group of foreign nationals, whose entry would be in the national interest, as determined by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, the Minister of Public Safety.
- members of the Canadian military, visiting forces and their family members.
- transiting passengers.
- seasonal agricultural workers, fish/seafood workers, caregivers and all other temporary foreign workers.
- international students who held a valid study permit, or had been approved for a study permit, when the travel restrictions took effect on March 18, 2020.
- permanent resident applicants who had been approved for permanent residence before the travel restrictions were announced on March 16, 2020, but who had not yet travelled to Canada.
14. Canada-US Border Closed to Non-Essential Travel/Examples of Essential Travel
Canada and the United States have restricted all non-essential travel across the Canada-US border.
- This restriction covers all travel of an optional or discretionary nature, including but not limited to: tourism, entertainment, recreation.
Essential travel will continue unimpeded. The Canadian and US governments recognize it is critical we preserve supply chains between both countries. These supply chains ensure that food, fuel, and life-saving medicines reach people on both sides of the border.
Canadians and Americans also cross the border every day to do essential work or for other urgent or essential reasons; that will not be impacted.
Some examples of essential travel purposes are:
- crossing the border for work and study.
- economic services and supply chains.
- critical infrastructure support.
- health, immediate medical care, safety and security.
- shopping for essential goods such as medication or goods necessary to preserve the health and safety of an individual or family.
- other activities at the discretion of the border services officer.
15. Social Insurance Number
NON-URGENT:
The Government is requesting that you refrain from applying for a SIN at this time. We will provide an update once more information becomes available.
URGENT applications:
If your request is urgent, you can send your application by Canada Post or use a courier service.
- Service Canada will send the response using the same service you used to send your application (either Canada Post or courier).
- You will need to attach a note explaining why the request is urgent to your application. Please review the Applying for a SIN page for more information on the documents you need to provide with your application.
- Check the status by calling: 1-866-274-6627
16. Passport Services
Passport services at all Service Canada offices are suspended until further notice.
If you need to travel urgently, you can get passport services if you:
- have a serious illness
- must tend to the serious illness or death of someone you know
- will have financial problems from the loss of a job or business. If you’ve made plans to travel that are at risk, this doesn’t count as a reason for urgent passport services.
- must travel for humanitarian reasons. This must be supported by the organization you work with.
You must wait to submit your passport application if:
- you don’t meet the criteria for urgent travel
- you’re experiencing symptoms such as coughing, difficulty breathing or a fever
- you’re in self-isolation
To get urgent passport services, fill out the e-form or call the Service Canada Passport Call Centre at 1-800-567-6868.
If you’re abroad and need urgent passport services, contact the nearest Canadian embassy or consulate.
17. Immigration
Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada has introduced special measures to help applicants affected by COVID‑19. Full information here (updated regularly): IRCC Special Measures
If you’re a Canadian citizenship applicant
- To keep everyone safe, IRCC has cancelled all citizenship ceremonies, citizenship tests and retests, and itinerant service trips until further notice.
- If you need to submit documents: Use the web form to let IRCC know once you’ve returned from an affected country, and you’ll be given an additional 30 days to submit most required documents for your citizenship application. You’ll have an additional 45 days for medical opinion forms.
If you’ve been approved for permanent residence
- If your permanent residence application has been approved, but you can’t travel to Canada before your documents expire, use the web form to tell IRCC why you can’t travel.
- Once it’s possible for you to travel, use the web form to let IRCC know. IRCC will then give you more detailed instructions regarding restarting the processing of your permanent residence application.
Permanent Resident Landing appointments will be held by telephone
- Since March 16, 2020, IRCC has cancelled all in-person permanent resident landing appointments.
- If you had a landing appointment already booked, it will be held by telephone.
- IRCC will contact you by email to let you know when your phone appointment will be. Use the web form if you need to update your contact information.
If your confirmation of permanent residence has already expired
- Use the web form to explain why you couldn’t travel.
Once it’s possible for you to travel, use the web form to let IRCC know. IRCC will then give you more detailed instructions regarding restarting the processing of your permanent residence application.
18. Canada Pension Plan, Canada Pension Plan Disability, Old Age Security
- If you are applying for a Canada Pension Plan or Old Age Security benefit, you can apply for your Canada Pension Plan Retirement Pension, Canada Pension Plan Disability Benefit or Old Age Security/Guaranteed Income Supplement online through your My Service Canada Account.
- Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Service Canada is strongly encouraging clients to apply for these benefits online, from the safety of your home.
- You will not be required to submit documentation to support your application at this time.
- Service Canada may be requesting these documents at a later date, but in the meantime, work can begin on your application.
**Please note, Service Canada offices are closed until further notice for in-person appointments
Support and Innovation for Businesses
You can find the latest information, tools and resources you need to make it through the COVID-19 pandemic on the Canada Business Reliance Network site here
- Canada Emergency Response Benefit
- Support for people who are sick, quarantined, or in directed self-isolation.
- Support for people facing unemployment.
Taxable benefit of $2,000 a month for up to 4 months to:
- workers who must stop working due to COVID19 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.
Application details will be available through:
My CRA Account and My Service Canada, beginning the first week of April.
**Please note, Service Canada offices are closed until further notice for in-person appointments.
2. Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy
- The Government has announced an up to 75% wage subsidy for qualifying businesses, for up to 3 months, retroactive to March 15, 2020.
- If you work for a company that has been impacted by COVID-19, the Government will cover up to 75% of your salary on the first $58,700 that you earn. That means up to $847 a week.
- This will help businesses to keep and return workers to the payroll.
- If your business’s revenues have decreased by at least 30% because of COVID-19, you will be eligible for this subsidy.
- The number of employees you have will not determine whether or not you get this support.
- The wage subsidy will apply to non-profit organizations and charities, as well companies both big and small. This is about making sure people are still getting paid whether they work for a business that employs 10 people or 1,000 people.
- Please note, details on how to access the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy are forthcoming.
3. Extending the Work-Sharing Program
- The Government introduced temporary special measures that extend the maximum duration of Work-Sharing agreements from 38 weeks to 76 weeks across Canada for those businesses affected by the downturn in business due to COVID-19
- These measures extend the duration of Work-Sharing agreements by an additional 38 weeks, for a total of 76 weeks.
- The mandatory waiting period has also been waived so that employers with a recently expired agreement may immediately apply for a new agreement, without waiting between applications and ease Recovery Plan requirements for the duration of the Work-Sharing agreement.
Apply to the Work Sharing Program
4. Income Tax Payment Deferral
- We are allowing all businesses to defer, until after August 31, 2020, the payment of any income tax amounts that become owing on or after March 18 and before September 2020.
- This relief would apply to tax balances due, as well as installments, under Part I of the Income Tax Act.
- No interest or penalties will accumulate on these amounts during this period.
Learn more here.
5. Deferral of Sales Tax Remittance and Customs Duty Payments
- The Government will allow businesses, including self-employed individuals, to defer until June 30, 2020 payments of the Goods and Services Tax / Harmonized Sales Tax (GST/HST), as well as customs duties owing on their imports.
- The deferral will apply to GST/HST remittances for the February, March and April 2020 reporting periods for monthly filers; the January 1, 2020 through March 31, 2020 reporting period for quarterly filers; and for annual filers, the amounts collected and owing for their previous fiscal year and instalments of GST/HST in respect of the filer’s current fiscal year.
- For GST and customs duty payments for imported goods, deferral will include amounts owing for March, April and May.
- These amounts were normally due to be submitted to the Canada Revenue Agency and the Canada Border Services Agency as early as the end of March.
- The deferral of these payments will provide for up to $30 billion in interest-free loans as we deal with this unprecedented challenge.
6. Canada Emergency Business Account
- Canada is launching the new Canada Emergency Business Account – a new loan program, that will be implemented rapidly by eligible financial institutions in cooperation with Export Development Canada (EDC).
- This $25 billion program will provide interest-free loans of up to $40,000 to small businesses and not-for-profits, to help cover their operating costs during a period where their revenues have been temporarily reduced.
- To qualify, these organizations will need to demonstrate they paid between $50,000 to $1 million in total payroll in 2019. Repaying the balance of the loan on or before December 31, 2022 will result in loan forgiveness of 25 per cent (up to $10,000).
Additional details on accessing this program will be available soon.
7. Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise Loan and Guarantee Program
- Export Development Canada is working with financial institutions so that they can issue new operating credit and cash flow term loans of up to $6.25 million to SMEs.
Businesses should contact their financial institution to determine whether this program is a good fit for their needs.
- The Co-Lending Program will bring the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) together with financial institutions to co-lend term loans to SMEs for their operational cash flow requirements.
- Through the Co-Lending Program, eligible businesses may obtain incremental credit amounts of up to $6.25 million through the program.
Businesses should contact their financial institution to determine whether this program is a good fit for their needs.
8. Business Credit Availability Program
- We established a Business Credit Availability Program (BCAP) to provide more than $10 billion of additional support, largely targeted to small and medium-sized businesses, through the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) and Export Development Canada (EDC).
- BDC and EDC are cooperating with private sector lenders to coordinate on credit solutions for individual businesses, including in sectors such as oil and gas, air transportation and tourism.
As a first step, businesses in need of credit support should contact their financial institution.
Learn more about the Business Credit Availability Program
9. Export Development Canada Loan Guarantee
- Effective March 24, 2020, Export Development Canada is supporting all exporting companies by offering their bank a guarantee on loans of up to $5 million so that companies can access more cash immediately.
- For more details, contact your financial institution.
Learn more about the EDC loan guarantee
10. Canada-US Border Closed to Non-Essential Travel/Examples of Essential Travel
Canada and the United States have restricted all non-essential travel across the Canada-US border.
- This restriction covers all travel of an optional or discretionary nature, including but not limited to: tourism, entertainment, recreation.
Essential travel will continue unimpeded. The Canadian and US governments recognize it is critical we preserve supply chains between both countries. These supply chains ensure that food, fuel, and life-saving medicines reach people on both sides of the border.
Canadians and Americans also cross the border every day to do essential work or for other urgent or essential reasons; that will not be impacted.
Some examples of essential travel purposes are:
- crossing the border for work and study.
- economic services and supply chains.
- critical infrastructure support.
- health, immediate medical care, safety and security.
- shopping for essential goods such as medication or goods necessary to preserve the health and safety of an individual or family.
- other activities at the discretion of the border services officer.
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