As many of you have heard, the federal government has announced further details of the income support programs available for workers affected by COVID-19.

The headline of this morning's announcement is that the two benefits announced last week have been merged into the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), giving Canadians who are without income due to COVID-19 benefits of $500 per week for up to 16 weeks.

While major unanswered questions still remain, this is the latest available information:

• The application process for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit is expected to open in early April
• The benefit provides $500 per week for up to 16 weeks, replacing both the Emergency Care Benefit and Emergency Support Benefit previously announced last week
• The benefit is available to all workers not earning income due to the impact of COVID-19, including independent contactors
• The Minister of Finance has said this benefit will apply to small business owners whose businesses have had to stop operating due to COVID-19 (suggesting this should apply to loan out corporations)
• Even workers who are still employed, but no longer receiving an income from their employer will be eligible

The Guild will still be seeking clarification on a number of key questions including why the benefit is $300 per month less than benefits available under EI. We will keep members up to date.