The federal government’s signature COVID-19 aid benefit is being extended for another eight weeks.
The Canada Emergency Response Benefit has paid 500-dollars a week for a maximum of 16 weeks to help those who lost their jobs or saw their hours drastically slashed due to the pandemic.
Applicants who signed up in April are set to max out their payment period early next month.
Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough says workers with child or elder-care responsibilities, or those with COVID-19 symptoms, may also be unable to work but could keep their CERB access.
Millions are now about to max out their eligibility early next month (July).
Last week, the parliamentary budget officer estimated extending the maximum number of weeks from 16 to 28 and extending the program through to January of 2021 would cost about 57.9-billion-dollars.
