Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan
The Government of Canada is taking immediate, significant and decisive action to support Canadians and businesses facing hardship as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.
On this page
- Support for individuals
- Support for businesses
- Support for sectors
- Support for organizations helping individuals
- Other measures
- Completed measures
Support for individuals
Individuals and families
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Employment Insurance (EI) program
We made temporary changes to the Employment Insurance (EI) program to better support Canadians who need financial assistance. As of September 27, 2020, the minimum benefit rate is $500 per week before taxes in most cases.
If you are not eligible for EI, you may be eligible for the new benefits:
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Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB)
The CRB provides $500 per week for up to 26 weeks for workers who have stopped working or had their income reduced by at least 50% due to COVID-19, and who are not eligible for Employment Insurance (EI).
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Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB)
The CRSB provides $500 per week for up to a maximum of two weeks, for workers who:
- Are unable to work for at least 50% of the week because they contracted COVID-19
- Are self-isolated for reasons related to COVID-19
- have underlying conditions, are undergoing treatments or have contracted other sicknesses that, in the opinion of a medical practitioner, nurse practitioner, person in authority, government or public health authority, would make them more susceptible to COVID-19.
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Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB)
The CRCB provides $500 per week for up to 26 weeks per household for workers:
- unable to work for at least 50% of the week because they must care for a child under the age of 12 or family member because schools, day-cares or care facilities are closed due to COVID-19
- because the child or family member is sick and/or required to quarantine or is at high risk of serious health implications because of COVID-19.
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Mortgage payment deferral
Homeowners facing financial hardship may be eligible for a mortgage payment deferral.
The deferral is an agreement between you and your lender. Typically, the agreement indicates that you and your lender have agreed to pause or suspend your mortgage payments for a certain amount of time. After the agreement ends, your mortgage payments return to normal and the deferred payments — including principal and accumulated interest – are added to the outstanding principal balance and subsequently repaid throughout the life of the mortgage.
To know if you are eligible for a mortgage payment deferral or to learn what options are available, contact your lender — your bank or your mortgage professional.
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Provincial and territorial support
Other supports may be available to you in your province or territory
Find the support you need
Support for businesses
Avoiding layoffs, rehiring employees and creating new jobs
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Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS)
We are covering up to 75% of an employee’s wages for qualifying eligible employers, with this subsidy rate in effect until March 13, 2021. The wage subsidy supports you to keep and re-hire your employees and avoid layoffs.
The CEWS is available until June 2021.
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Extending the Work-Sharing program
Financial support, loans and access to credit
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Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) interest-free loans
The Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) provides interest-free, partially forgivable, loans of up to $60,000, to small businesses and not-for-profits, that have experienced diminished revenues due to COVID-19 but face ongoing non-deferrable costs, such as rent, utilities, insurance, taxes and wages.
We have recently expanded CEBA to include an additional interest-free $20,000 loan, 50% of which would be forgivable if repaid by December 31, 2022.
This means the additional loan effectively increases CEBA loans from the existing $40,000 to $60,000 for eligible businesses, of which a total of $20,000 will be forgiven if the balance of the loan is repaid by December 31, 2022.
Business owners can apply for support until March 31, 2021 through their banks and credit unions.
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Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS)
The Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS) provides a direct and easy-to-access rent and mortgage subsidy of up to 65% of eligible expenses to qualifying businesses, charities and non-profits. The subsidy rates are in effect until December 19, 2020. This support is available directly to tenants.
Lockdown Support
Qualifying organizations that have been significantly restricted by a mandatory public health order issued by a qualifying public health authority can receive an additional 25% of rent support through the Lockdown Support.
The combined effect of the rent subsidy and the Lockdown Support is that hard-hit businesses, non-profits and charities subject to a lockdown can receive rent support of up to 90%.
The rent subsidy and the Lockdown Support are available until June 2021.
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Highly Affected Sectors Credit Availability Program (HASCAP)
The Highly Affected Sectors Credit Availability Program (HASCAP) provides businesses heavily impacted by COVID-19, access guaranteed, low-interest loans of $25,000 to $1 million to cover operational cash flow needs.
HASCAP is available to businesses that operate in sectors such as tourism and hospitality, restaurants and those that primarily rely on in-person services.
The program is available at some participating financial institutions. Other participating financial institutions will deploy the program progressively over the days that follow.
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Loan Guarantee for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises
Through the Business Credit Availability Program, Export Development Canada (EDC) is working with financial institutions to guarantee 80% of new operating credit and cash flow term loans of up to $6.25 million to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
This financing support is to be used for operational expenses and is available to both exporting and non-exporting companies.
This program is now available at various banks and credit unions.
This support is available until June 2021.
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Co-Lending Program for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises
Through the Business Credit Availability Program, Business Development Canada (BDC) is working with financial institutions to co-lend term loans of up to $6.25 million to SMEs for their operational cash flow requirements.
The program offers differing maximum finance amounts based on business revenues.
This program is now available at various banks and credit unions.
This support is available until June 2021.
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Regional Relief and Recovery Fund (RRRF)
We are providing over $1.5 billion through the Regional Relief and Recovery Fund (RRRF) to help more businesses and organizations in sectors such as manufacturing, technology, tourism and others that are key to the regions and to local economies. This fund is specifically targeted to those that may require additional help to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, but have been unable to access other support measures.
Apply to the RRRF through your local Regional Development Agency
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Black Entrepreneurship Loan Fund
We are supporting Black business owners and entrepreneurs through the Black Entrepreneurship Loan Fund that will provide loans of between $25,000 and $250,000.
This initiative is part of the Black Entrepreneurship Program, in which we are investing up to nearly $93 million.
More details on eligibility requirements and how to apply will be available soon
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Mid-Market Financing Program
Through the Business Credit Availability Program, the Business Development Canada's (BDC) Mid-Market Financing Program will provide commercial loans ranging between $12.5 million and $60 million to medium-sized businesses whose credit needs exceed what is already available through the Business Credit Availability Program and other measures.
BDC anticipates that qualifying companies will have annual revenues in excess of approximately $100 million.
This support is available until June 2021.
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Mid-Market Guarantee and Financing Program
Through the Business Credit Availability Program, EDC’s Mid-Market Guarantee and Financing Program will bring liquidity to companies who tend to have revenues of between $50 million to $300 million, to sustain operations during this uncertain period. EDC will continue to work with Canadian financial institutions to guarantee 75 % of new operating credit and cash-flow loans – ranging in size from $16.75 million to a maximum of $80 million.
These expanded guarantees are available to exporters, international investors and businesses that sell their products or services within Canada.
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Large Employer Emergency Financing Facility (LEEFF)
The Large Employer Emergency Financing Facility (LEEFF) provides bridge financing to Canada’s largest employers, whose needs during the pandemic are not being met through conventional financing, in order to keep their operations going.
The additional liquidity provided through LEEFF allows Canada’s largest businesses, their workers and their suppliers to remain active during this difficult time, and position them for a rapid economic recovery.
This program is delivered by the Canada Development Investment Corporation, in cooperation with Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada and the Department of Finance.
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Additional support by sector
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Provincial and territorial support
Other supports for your business may be available to you in your province or territory
Support for self-employed individuals
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Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB)
The CRB provides $500 per week for up to 26 weeks for workers who have stopped working or had their income reduced by at least 50% due to COVID-19, and who are not eligible for Employment Insurance (EI).
-
Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB)
The CRSB provides $500 per week for up to a maximum of two weeks, for workers who:
- Are unable to work for at least 50% of the week because they contracted COVID-19
- Are self-isolated for reasons related to COVID-19
- have underlying conditions, are undergoing treatments or have contracted other sicknesses that, in the opinion of a medical practitioner, nurse practitioner, person in authority, government or public health authority, would make them more susceptible to COVID-19.
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Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB)
The CRCB provides $500 per week for up to 26 weeks per household for workers:
- unable to work for at least 50% of the week because they must care for a child under the age of 12 or family member because schools, day-cares or care facilities are closed due to COVID-19
- because the child or family member is sick and/or required to quarantine or is at high risk of serious health implications because of COVID-19.
Indigenous businesses
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Relief measures for Indigenous businesses
We are providing $306.8 million in funding to help small and medium-sized Indigenous businesses, and to support Aboriginal Financial Institutions that offer financing to these businesses.
The funding will allow for short-term, interest-free loans and non-repayable contributions through Aboriginal Financial Institutions, which offer financing and business support services to First Nations, Inuit, and Métis businesses.
Financial support for Indigenous businesses will be provided through Aboriginal Financial Institutions, and administered by the National Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association and the Métis capital corporations in partnership with Indigenous Services Canada.
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Supporting business through the pandemic and into recovery
We are providing non-repayable financial contributions to help support operating costs for First Nation, Inuit and Métis community-or collectively-owned businesses and microbusinesses whose revenues have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The fund seeks to provide support for businesses that do not qualify for other Government of Canada COVID-19 relief measures.
Indigenous peoples can also access all other benefits.
Find the support you need for your business
Support for sectors
Agriculture and agri-food
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Keeping workers in the food supply chain safe
We are providing $50 million to help farmers, fish harvesters, and all food production and processing employers, put in place the measures necessary to follow the mandatory 14-day isolation period required of all workers arriving from abroad.
The Mandatory Isolation Support for Temporary Foreign Workers Program (MISTFWP) provides support of $1,500 for each temporary foreign worker, to employers or those working with them to ensure requirements are fully met. The funding is conditional on employers not being found in violation of the mandatory isolation.
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Increasing credit availability
We have enabled Farm Credit Canada to provide an additional $5 billion in lending to producers, agribusinesses, and food processors. This will offer increased flexibility to farmers who face cashflow issues and to processors who are impacted by lost sales, helping them remain financially sound during this difficult time.
You can also contact your banks and credit unions to discuss other support available.
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Protecting the health and safety of farm workers
We are providing $35 million through the Emergency On-Farm Support Fund to improve health and safety on farms and in employee living quarters to prevent and respond to the spread of COVID-19. The funding will provide support to farmers for:
- direct infrastructure improvements to living quarters and work stations, temporary or emergency housing
- personal protective equipment (PPE), sanitary stations, and any other health and safety measures to safeguard the health and safety of Canadian and temporary foreign workers from COVID-19.
Learn more on how to apply for the Emergency On-Farm Support Fund
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Increasing interim payments from 50% to 75% through AgriStability
We are working with provinces and territories to increase interim payments from 50 % to 75 % through AgriStability, a federal, provincial and territorial program that supports producers who face significant revenue declines. This change has already been enacted in some provinces.
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Expanding AgriInsurance to include labour shortage
We are working with provinces and territories to explore possibilities for expanding the AgriInsurance program to include labour shortages as an eligible risk for the horticulture sector. This work would insure against lost production due to an insufficient workforce, should producers be unable to find enough labour to harvest.
Aquaculture and fisheries
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Keeping workers in the food supply chain safe
We are providing $50 million to help farmers, fish harvesters, and all food production and processing employers, put in place the measures necessary to follow the mandatory 14-day isolation period required of all workers arriving from abroad.
The Mandatory Isolation Support for Temporary Foreign Workers Program (MISTFWP) provides support of $1,500 for each temporary foreign worker, to employers or those working with them to ensure requirements are fully met. The funding is conditional on employers not being found in violation of the mandatory isolation.
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Increasing credit availability
We have enabled Farm Credit Canada to provide an additional $5 billion in lending to producers, agribusinesses, and food processors. This will offer increased flexibility to farmers who face cashflow issues and to processors who are impacted by lost sales, helping them remain financially sound during this difficult time.
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Assisting the fish and seafood processing sector
We are providing $62.5 million of new assistance to the fish and seafood processing sector through the Canadian Seafood Stabilization Fund.
This will help businesses:
- add storage capacity for unsold product;
- comply with new health and safety measures for workers;
- support new manufacturing/automated technologies to improve productivity and quality of finished seafood products; and,
- adapt products to respond to changing requirements and new market demands.
Regional Development Agencies are now accepting applications to the Fund.
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Changes to Employment Insurance fishing benefits
Culture, heritage and sport
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Support for Independent production companies
We are creating the Short-Term Compensation Fund initiative to compensate independent production companies for the lack of insurance coverage for COVID-19–related filming interruptions and production shutdowns in the sector.
The fund will make as much as $50 million available for the industry.
Energy
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Launching the Emissions Reduction Fund
We are providing up to $750 million to create a new Emissions Reduction Fund to support workers and reduce emissions in Canada's oil and gas sector, with a focus on methane.
This fund will provide primarily repayable contributions to conventional and offshore oil and gas firms to support their investments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Of this amount, $75 million will be allocated to the offshore sector.
Infrastructure
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Flexible funding for community resilience
We are adapting the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program to respond to the impacts of COVID-19. The new COVID-19 Resilience stream, delivered through bilateral agreements with provinces and territories, will provide added flexibility to fund quick-start, short-term projects that might not otherwise be eligible under the existing funding streams.
The new stream will support the following types of projects:
- Retrofits, repairs and upgrades for municipal, territorial, provincial and Indigenous buildings, health infrastructure and schools;
- COVID-19 response infrastructure, including measures to support physical distancing;
- Active transportation infrastructure, including parks, trails, foot bridges, bike lanes and multi-use paths; and
- Disaster mitigation and adaptation projects, including natural infrastructure, flood and fire mitigation, and tree planting and related infrastructure.
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Supporting communities: new ways to adapt spaces and services
We will provide up to $31 million in funding to support community-led projects that respond to immediate and ongoing needs arising from COVID-19.
The Canada Healthy Communities Initiative will support local projects under three themes: creating safe and vibrant public spaces, improving mobility options, and digital solutions.
Projects could include:
- expanding outdoor seating on main streets
- remodeling playgrounds to allow for proper physical distancing
- creating digital apps to allow residents to access municipal services remotely
Funding under the initiative will be provided to a non-governmental not-for-profit organization, or group of organizations, identified through an open call for applications process, who, once selected, will work with communities to identify and fund local projects under the themes above.
Support for organizations helping individuals
Indigenous organizations and communities
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Addressing immediate needs in Indigenous communities
We launched a distinctions-based Indigenous Community Support Fund to address immediate needs in First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Nation communities.
These funds could be used for measures including, but not limited to:
- support for Elders and vulnerable community members
- measures to address food insecurity
- educational and other support for children
- mental health assistance and emergency response services
- preparedness measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19
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Additional support for your organization
What COVID-19 information do you need?
- Travel
- Mandatory hotel stopover
- ArriveCAN
- Use ArriveCAN to enter Canada
- What to do after you've arrived in Canada
- How to use ArriveCAN
- Check requirements for entering Canada
- Your privacy and ArriveCAN
- Additional questions about ArriveCAN
- Find out if you can travel to Canada
- Travel restrictions in Canada
- Quarantine and isolation for travellers
- Compassionate exemptions
- Registration of Canadians Abroad service
- Check if you have been exposed during recent travel
- I am a Canadian travelling abroad and I need support. Who can I contact?
- I am a traveller trying to return home to Canada. How do I get financial support while abroad?
- Income support
- Health and safety
- Prevention and vaccines
- Risks and spread
- Symptoms and treatment
- Reduce COVID-19 in your community
- What can I do to care for my mental and physical health?
- Drug and medical device supply monitoring
- For clinical trial sponsors
- Additional economic and financial support
- Individuals
- Support for businesses
- Avoiding layoffs, rehiring employees and creating new jobs
- Financial support, loans and access to credit
- Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) interest-free loans
- Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS)
- Highly Affected Sectors Credit Availability Program (HASCAP)
- Loan Guarantee for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises
- Co-Lending Program for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises
- Regional Relief and Recovery Fund (RRRF)
- Black Entrepreneurship Loan Fund
- Mid-Market Financing Program
- Mid-Market Guarantee and Financing Program
- Large Employer Emergency Financing Facility (LEEFF)
- Additional support by sector
- Provincial and territorial support
- Self-employed individuals
- Indigenous businesses
- Support for sectors
- Agriculture and agri-food
- Aquaculture and fisheries
- Cultural, heritage and sport
- Energy
- Infrastructure
- Organizations helping Canadians
- Vulnerable populations
- Indigenous organizations and communities
- About COVID-19
- E-mail updates on COVID-19
- Current confirmed number of COVID-19 cases in Canada
- More details about the cases reported in Canada
- How does it spread?
- Where can I get information specific to my province or territory?
- How governments are working together
- How can I make a difference in Canada’s COVID-19 response efforts?
- Resources for parents and children
- Resources for youth, students and young adults
- Resources for seniors and their caregivers
- Resources for Indigenous communities
- People with disabilities
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