February 19, 2021 Gatineau, Quebec Employment and Social Development Canada
From the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of Canada has been there for Canadians and provided them with the support they need to stay healthy, secure and financially solvent. Many workers across the country continue to face uncertainty due to the difficult but necessary public health measures put in place to save lives.
That is why the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, Carla Qualtrough, today announced the government’s intention to introduce regulatory and legislative changes aimed at increase the number of weeks of benefits offered by the Canada Economic Stimulus Benefit (PCRE), the Canadian Caregiver Economic Stimulus Benefit (PCREPA), the Canadian Economic Stimulus Sickness Benefit (PCMRE) and benefits regular employment insurance.
Some workers will have exhausted their benefits by the end of March, and this extension would provide them with continued support as Canada’s economy and labor market recovers. It would also provide extended access to the Canada Economic Stimulus Sickness Benefit, so Canadians would not have to choose between going to work sick and feeding their families.
The proposed changes would have the following effects:
- increase from 26 to 38 the maximum number of weeks offered under the Canada Economic Stimulus Benefit and the Canada Economic Stimulus Benefit for caregivers (increase of 12 weeks, by regulation);
- increase from 2 to 4 the number of weeks offered with the Canada Economic Recovery Health Benefit, by regulation;
- Increase the number of weeks available with EI regular benefits to 50 (increase of 24 weeks, by law) for claims made between September 27, 2020 and September 25, 2021.
To ensure that employees in federally regulated sectors have access to the additional weeks offered to PCRE and PCREPA without risking losing their jobs, the maximum duration of the COVID-19-related leave provided for in the Canada Labor Code would also be extended.
Provincial and territorial governments will determine whether they need to modify their job protected leave to make it easier for employees to access the additional weeks offered for PCRE and PCREPA.
In addition, if the bill receives Royal Assent, self-employed workers who have registered for the EI program in order to access special benefits could claim the income threshold of $ 5,000 for 2020, compared at the previous threshold of $ 7,555. This change would be retroactive to requests made from January 3, 2021 and would apply until September 25, 2021.
By increasing the number of weeks available for these important benefits, the government is bringing stability to workers in hard-hit sectors and their families, in addition to helping our economic recovery.
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