BREAKING: Canada will be extending CERB support for those still unemployed
- Michael Kras
- 15 Jun 2020
As much of Canada’s out-of-work workforce receives their final Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) cheques and stares into the abyss of the unknown, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has finally announced that the federal government is working on a plan to extend CERB support to those still unemployed amid COVID-19.
Prime Minister Trudeau made this announcement during his press briefing on Monday morning; though details of the extension have yet to be announced and are set to be revealed in the coming days.
The news surely comes as a relief to a great number of working Canadians, many of whom have been nervously and hopefully awaiting news of some sort of CERB extension as many Canadian industries – including the arts, live events, hospitality, and travel & tourism among multiple others – stand to remain shuttered or greatly reduced for months to come.
BREAKING: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced plans to extend the Canada emergency response benefit (CERB), with details to follow in the days ahead. https://t.co/YFMt3puflQ
— CBC News (@CBCNews) June 15, 2020
The original rules of CERB meant that eligible Canadians laid off as a result of the pandemic were entitled to receive 4 months’ worth of benefits worth a taxable $2,000 per month, or $8,000 total.
Since the program was introduced back in March, approximately $43.5 billion has been paid out in CERB benefits to well over 8 million Canadians.
However, as the months have passed since CERB was originally introduced, it became clearer and clearer that a considerable amount of Canada’s workforce was going to need access to further financial aid.
Indeed, the urgency of Canadians’ need for continued support, combined with the federal government’s lack of clarity on whether or not an extension of facsimile of CERB was in the works, led many Canadian workers to sign petitions and write letters to the government in order to put the pressure on.
The pressure – combined with the continued uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic – has certainly worked, and Canadians can expect to learn more very soon about how CERB will be extended.
“We’ll have more details this week, but for today, I want you to know that we’ll continue to be there for you and your family,” said Trudeau.
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