The Federal Government is temporarily expanding the definition of a lockdown so rent and wage support programs can support workers and businesses who are capacity restricted by 50 percent or more.
Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland made the announcement today.
“It means if you are an employer who has to reduce the capacity of your main business by 50 percent or more, you will be eligible for wage and rent subsidy support through the local lockdown program,” she said. “And we are lowering the revenue decline threshold from 40 percent to 25 percent. Eligible employers will receive wage and rent subsidy support from between 25 percent to up to 75 percent depending on how much revenue they have lost.”
Organizations only need to show revenue loss during the current month compared with 2019.
Employers can apply at the end of each program period.
For workers, it means if you are working in a region where provincial or territorial governments have introduced capacity restrictions of 50 percent or more and if you have lost 50 percent or more of your income as a direct result of those restrictions, you can qualify for the Canada Worker Lockdown benefit which will put $300 a week in your pocket to supplement your lost wages.
This eligibility is effective retroactively from Dec 19th 2021 – February 12th 2022.
Freeland says this will allow provincial governments the ability to keep making tough decisions in order to save lives.
We’ve had your backs throughout this pandemic – and we’re going to continue to be there for you. To make sure you have the help you need, we’re expanding eligibility for key support programs. Tune in now for the details: https://t.co/DWlTGMTnV3
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) December 22, 2021
Photo via Chrystia Freeland Twitter Account