The entire world, including Canada, is recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. The economy is at the center of most recovery efforts. Specifically, assisting individuals who have lost their income in recovering employment levels prior to the pandemic. The federal government quickly launched a number of programs and initiatives aimed at assisting Canadians in surviving these difficult and uncertain times.
As the Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) program came to an end, the government replaced it with a new benefit. The Canada
Worker Lockdown Benefit (CWLB) is what it’s called. Its goal is to assist specific groups rather than large ones. The targeted objective is anyone who is experiencing financial hardship as a result of the continued lockdowns.
The new benefit would be:
- $300 a week.
- Strictly available to workers whose work interruption is a direct result of a government-imposed public health lockdown.
- Available until May 7, 2022, with retroactive application to October 24, 2021, should the situation warrant it.
- Accessible for the entire duration of a government-imposed public health lockdown (up until May 7, 2022).
- Available to workers who are ineligible for Employment Insurance (EI) and those who are eligible for EI, as long as they are not paid benefits through EI for the same period.
Who is eligible?
Individuals must meet the following eligibility criteria for CWLB:
- Experienced employment and income interruption as a direct result of government-imposed public health lockdowns.
- Have not lost income or employment due to refusal to adhere to the vaccine mandate.
- Ineligible for Employment Insurance (EI) in the CWLB period you’re applying for.
Who is not eligible?
Individuals who meet the following criteria are not eligible for CWLB:
- Experienced employment and income interruption as a result of non-public health, privately issued lockdowns.
- Lost income or employment due to their refusal to adhere to vaccine mandates.
- Eligible for Employment Insurance (EI) in the CWLB period you’re applying for.
How and where can I apply for the CWLB?
Currently, the Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit is not open for applications yet. It is in the proposal stage with the Government of Canada.
Keep an eye on the Government of Canada’s website or tune in to our latest post if you think you could be qualified for CWLB. If the proposal is approved, the final qualifying requirements and application link will be available there.
We are here to help if you have questions on Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit feel free to contact IDM Professional Corporation CPA.
