All Of Canada's Emergency COVID-19 Benefits Have Now Ended & Here's What Happens Next
It's still possible to claim money if you're eligible.👇💰
Justin Trudeau and Chrystia Freeland smiling for a selfie. Right: A laptop screen showing COVID-19 benefits.
It's official. All of Canada's remaining COVID-19 emergency benefits have ended and there are apparently no plans to bring them back.
Saturday, May 7 was the last day that Canadians were able to claim any of a number of support benefits, including the Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit, the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit and the Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit.
It means workers will no longer receive payments from the federal government if they are not able to do their job due to circumstances related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The CRSB, CRCB and CWLB offered between $300 and $500 per week to eligible individuals in circumstances where they needed to self-isolate, provide care for others, or miss work due to pandemic-related lockdowns.
Similarly, programs designed to support businesses throughout the pandemic and associated lockdowns have also ended as of May 7.
This includes the Canada Recovery Hiring Program, Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program and the Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program.
The Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) and the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) had already ended.
CBC News reports that the government has no plan to reinstate any of these programs, with officials saying that "the time for extraordinary COVID support is now over."
In November, the feds suggested that the cost of extending Canada's COVID-19 benefits between October 2021 and March 2022 would exceed $7 billion.
Is it still possible to claim COVID-19 benefits?
While all of these programs have now officially expired, there's still an opportunity for eligible people to get paid.
Applications for all of the benefits can be made retroactively and it's still possible to do that right now.
Workers hoping to access individual benefits have 60 days to submit their claims for any periods prior to May 7, while businesses have 180 days.
For those who may still need pandemic-related support, Employment Insurance (EI) will remain accessible to eligible people who need it. Depending on where you live, there may also be provincial supports available.
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.