The Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) provided Canadians with thousands of dollars during potentially the most financially stressful time in their lives. In some cases, it meant the difference between staying afloat and losing your house. But after months of CERB, it was time it came to an end.
Sure, the pandemic is nowhere near over. In fact, there could be waves coming and going for years until a vaccine is created. So, the federal government needed to find other ways to keep safe, but open businesses once more. The answer came with multiple new benefits.
These benefits include changing Employment Insurance (EI), the Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB), Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB), and Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB). Here I will briefly go over each benefit, and how you can still use them if you relied on CERB.
Employment Insurance
As of September 27, 2020, EI has changed for one year. Now, you only need 120 insured hours to qualify for benefits. If you qualify, you will receive at least $500 per week before taxes, or $300 per week for extended parental benefits. Even if you received CERB, your time to accumulate insured hours will be extended.
To get EI, you will just have to provide the insured hours for the 52 weeks before you started CERB. So, if you were laid off because of the virus, you can still apply for benefits even if you haven’t worked for the last few months.
Canada Recovery Benefit
One of the most popular benefits is the CRB, as it most closely resembles CERB. In this scenario, you can receive income support if you are directly affected by COVID-19, whether you’re employed or self-employed. You just simply can’t be eligible for EI. In this case, you will receive $1,000, or $900 after taxes, for the two week self-isolation period.
If, however, the situation continues past those two weeks, you will have to apply again. You can apply for a total of 13 periods, or 26 weeks for the next year starting September 27, 2020. That’s a total of $11,700 after taxes. However, if by next year your 2020 taxes exceed $38,000 beware: you will have to repay some or all of those payments.
Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit
Again, starting September 27, 2020 for the next year, eligible Canadians can receive income support if they were unable to work or had to self-isolate due to COVID-19. It also applies if you have an underlying condition that puts you at greater risk should you contract COVID-19. In either case, you would receive $500 ($450 after taxes) for one week. If your situation continues beyond that one week, you need to apply again. However, you can only apply for a total of two weeks over the next year.
While you can’t apply for CRB during this period, should your situation continue, you can apply for CRB. For instance, if your medical condition doesn’t go away, then you are affected by COVID-19 and need supplemental income.
Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit
The CRCB gives income support to those unable to work because they must look after a child under 12, or a family member who needs care. So, if a school, program or facility is closed because of COVID-19, this applies. If the individual is sick, self-isolating, or at higher risk due to COVID-19, it applies. If eligible, individuals receive $500 per week ($450 after taxes), up to a total of 26 weeks until Sep. 25, 2021.
Bottom line
While CERB may be gone, CRB and these other more directed methods will help. If you are a parent with a child under 12, self-employed, and you and your child contract COVID-19, you could be eligible for up to 52 weeks of combined benefits. This is not a far-fetched scenario, as I myself fall into this exact category should I fall ill.
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