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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.

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Support for individuals

Individuals and families

  • 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 for EI regular claimants is $500 per week before taxes in most cases.

    Apply to Employment Insurance

    If you are not eligible for EI or if you've received the maximum number of weeks of EI regular benefits, you may be eligible for the new benefits:

    Update

    • If you've received this benefit in 2020, learn how to report it for your tax return.
  • Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB)

    The Canada Recovery Benefit provides support to eligible workers who:

    • are not employed or self-employed for reasons related to COVID-19  or have had their income reduced by at least 50% due to COVID-19
    • are not eligible for Employment Insurance (EI)

    Apply to the Canada Recovery Benefit

    Updates

    • If you are eligible, you can receive $500 ($450 after taxes withheld) for 42 weeks.
    • After you have received this benefit for 42 weeks or if you are applying for your first Recovery Benefit on or after July 18, 2021, you may receive $300 ($270 after taxes withheld) per week.

    This benefit is available for 50 weeks between September 27, 2020 and September 25, 2021

  • Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB)

    The CRSB provides $500 ($450 after taxes withheld) per week for up to a maximum of four 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.

    Apply to the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit

    Updates

  • Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB)

    The CRCB provides $500 ($450 after taxes withheld) for up to 42 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.

    Apply to the Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit

    Updates

  • Supporting families with children under the age of six

    The Canada Child Benefit young child supplement (CCBYCS) is providing temporary additional support in 2021 of up to $1,200 to families with children under the age of six.

    You must be entitled to receive the Canada Child Benefit (CCB) in January, April, July or October 2021 to receive the CCBYCS.

    If you already receive the CCB, you will not need to apply for this benefit.

    Payment dates:

    • May 28, 2021 (includes amounts for January and April)
    • July 30, 2021
    • October 29, 2021

    Find out more about the CCBYCS

  • Supporting low-income workers and families

    The Canada Workers Benefit provides a refundable tax credit to help people who are working and earning a low income. We are expanding eligibility by making the benefit available to those with incomes up to:

    • $32,244 as single Canadians, without children;
    • $42,197 as single-earner families; and
    • $56,197 as double-earner families.

    Low-income workers are now eligible for a tax refund of up to about:

    • $1,400 for workers who are single and without children; and
    • $2,400 for workers with families.

    Learn more about the Canada Workers Benefit

  • 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.

    Learn more about mortgage payment deferral

  • Provincial and territorial support

    Other supports may be available to you in your province or territory 

Seniors

  • Providing one-time payment to Old Age Security pensioners

    We will provide a one-time payment of $500 during the week of August 16, 2021 to Old Age Security pensioners who will be 75 years of age or over as of June 30, 2022.

    Learn more about the one-time payment

    Update

    We will also increase to the Old Age Security (OAS) pension by 10% for seniors 75 years of age and over as of July 2022.

Students

  • Waiving interest on student and apprentice loans

    To help students and young Canadians who have been particularly hard-hit by COVID-19, we are waiving the interest for full-time and part-time students on the federal portion of Canada Student Loans and Canada Apprentice Loans until March 31, 2023.

    Find out more about repayment of student loans

Find the support you need

Answer a few questions to get a list of benefits and support tailored to you


Support for businesses

Avoiding layoffs, rehiring employees and creating new jobs

  • Jobs and Growth Fund

    The Jobs and Growth Fund is a $700-million program that supports regional job creation and positions local economies for long-term growth. This includes up to $70 million dedicated to businesses created after January 2020.

    The Fund will help businesses and organizations that:

    • support the transition to a green economy
    • foster an inclusive recovery
    • enhance Canada's competitiveness through digital adoption to improve productivity and manufacturing processes
    • strengthen capacity in sectors critical to Canada's recovery and growth

    Apply through your Regional Development Agency

  • Canada Recovery Hiring Program

    The Canada Recovery Hiring Program provides a subsidy on eligible salary or wages to help hard-hit businesses hire the workers they need to recover and grow as local economies reopen.

    This program allows eligible employers to hire new workers, increase workers' hours, or increase wages at a pace that works for them. As with the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy, eligible employers can apply for support after each four-week period of the program.

    We are ensuring that businesses can continue to get the financial support they need to invest in their longer-term prosperity, including businesses in hard-hit sectors like tourism and hospitality, hotels, arts and entertainment.

    Support is available retroactively to June 6 2021 and until November 20, 2021.

    Apply to the Recovery Hiring Program

  • Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS)

    The Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy provides support to eligible employers to cover part of their employees' wages.

    This subsidy helps employers re-hire workers, helps to prevent further job losses, and keeps employees on payroll at their place of work during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Apply for the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy

    Update

    The government extended the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy to September 25, 2021.

  • Extending the Work-Sharing program

    We have extended the maximum duration of the Work-Sharing program from 38 weeks to 76 weeks for employers affected by COVID-19. This measure will provide income support to employees eligible for Employment Insurance who agree to reduce their normal working hours because of developments beyond the control of their employers.

    Apply to the Work-Sharing program

Financial support, loans and access to credit

  • Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS)

    The Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy provides a rent and mortgage subsidy for eligible expenses to qualifying businesses, charities and non-profits. This support is available directly to tenants and property owners.

    Lockdown Support

    Qualifying businesses and other organizations that have been significantly restricted by a mandatory public health order issued by a qualifying public health authority can receive an additional 25% in rent support through the Lockdown Support.

    The government extended the Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy and Lockdown Support until September 25, 2021.

    Apply for the Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy

  • Highly Affected Sectors Credit Availability Program (HASCAP)

    The Highly Affected Sectors Credit Availability Program 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.

    Business owners can apply for support until December 31, 2021

    Learn more about the Highly Affected Sectors Credit Availability

  • 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 December 31, 2021.

    Learn more about the loan guarantee

  • 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 December 31, 2021.

    Learn more about the Co-lending program

  • 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 December 31 2021.

    Learn more about the Mid-market Financing Program

  • 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.

    This support is available until December 31, 2021.

    Apply to the Mid-Market Guarantee and Financing Program

  • 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.

    Apply to the LEEF program

  • Additional support by sector
  • Provincial and territorial support

    Other supports for your business may be available to you in your province or territory

Support for self-employed individuals

  • Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB)

    The Canada Recovery Benefit provides support to eligible workers who:

    • are not employed or self-employed for reasons related to COVID-19  or have had their income reduced by at least 50% due to COVID-19
    • are not eligible for Employment Insurance (EI)

    Apply to the Canada Recovery Benefit

    Updates

    • If you are eligible, you can receive $500 ($450 after taxes withheld) for 42 weeks.
    • After you have received this benefit for 42 weeks or if you are applying for your first Recovery Benefit on or after July 18, 2021, you may receive $300 ($270 after taxes withheld) per week.
  • Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB)

    The CRSB provides $500 ($450 after taxes withheld) per week for up to a maximum of four 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.

    Apply to the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit

    Updates

  • Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB)

    The Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit provides $500 ($450 after taxes withheld) for up to 42 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 a 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.

    Apply to the Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit

Indigenous businesses

  • 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.

    Learn more about this measure for Indigenous SME

  • 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.

    Apply to the Indigenous Community Business Fund

Indigenous peoples can also access all other benefits.

Find the support you need for your business

Answer a few questions to get a personalized list of support


Support for sectors

Tourism

Agriculture and agri-food

Aquaculture and fisheries

  • Mandatory Isolation Support for Temporary Foreign Workers Program (MISTFWP)

    We are providing support to employers with some of costs associated with the mandatory 14-day isolation period as well as costs associated with the 3-day hotel quarantine imposed under the Quarantine Act on temporary foreign workers upon entering into Canada.

  • 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.

  • Changes to Employment Insurance fishing benefits

    We will calculate Employment Insurance (EI) fishing benefits for self-employed fish harvesters and sharespersons using either their fishing earnings for their current claim, or their fishing earnings from their claim for the same season from the previous year, whichever is higher.

    Apply to the EI fishing benefits

  • Additional support for your business

Culture, heritage and sport

Energy

Transportation

  • Regional Air Transportation Initiative (RATI)

    The Regional Air Transportation Initiative (RATI) provides support over two years to eligible regional businesses and airports that directly contribute to regional air transportation.

    The initiative will help ensure that regional air connectivity and services, which are critical to economic growth, are maintained and that regional routes are reconnected across the country. RATI is being delivered by Canada's six regional development agencies (RDA).

    Contact your RDA to apply

  • Airports Capital Assistance Program (ACAP)

    We are providing a top-up of $186 million through the ACAP to support local and regional airports for safety-related infrastructure projects and equipment purchases.

    Apply to the ACAP

  • Airport Relief Fund (ARF)

    We are providing almost $65 million in financial relief to targeted Canadian airports to help maintain operations.

    Apply to the ARF

  • Airport Critical Infrastructure Program (ACIP)

    We are providing close to $490 million to support Canada's larger airports with investments in critical infrastructure-related to safety, security or connectivity.

    Apply to the ACIP

  • Additional support for your business

Aerospace

Infrastructure

  • 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.

    Learn more about the COVID-19 Resilience stream

  • 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.

    Learn more about the Canada Healthy Communities Initiative

  • Additional support for your business

Support for communities

Communities and organizations

  • 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

    Apply to the Indigenous Community Support Fund

  • Canada Community Revitalization Fund

    The Canada Community Revitalization Fund provides up to $750,000 or $1 million to not-for-profit organizations, municipalities, public institutions and Indigenous communities for projects to revitalize communities across Canada.

    The funding covers up to 75% of the total project costs. Indigenous community projects may qualify for funding to cover 100% of total project costs.

    To apply for funding, projects must aim to:

    • adapt community spaces and assets so that they may be used safely in accordance with local public-health guidelines
    • build or improve community infrastructure to encourage Canadians to re-engage in and explore their communities and regions
    • reinvent outdoor spaces
    • create green infrastructure
    • increase the accessibility of community spaces

    Apply to the Canada Community Revitalization Fund through your Regional Development Agency

  • Additional support for your organization

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