Canada Emergency Response Benefit online applications open Monday

OTTAWA (NEWS 1130) — Help is on the way for Canadians who have lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the Prime Minister’s daily briefing Sunday, he tells Canadians the pandemic emergency response benefit will kick in this week.

As of Monday, online applications for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) will open for those born between January to March in order to avoid a system crash.

If you’ve already been approved for Employment Insurance benefits, your application will automatically be moved over to the new benefit with no need to reapply.

You can sign up to receive support by visiting canada.ca.

“If you choose to direct deposit, you will get the first payment within three to five days,” Trudeau says. “If you choose to receive your benefit by mail, you’ll get money within the next 10 days.”

The CERB will be available to Canadian workers over the age of 15 who have or are not expecting an income for at least 14 consecutive days in the initial four-week period.

Workers must have had an income of at least $5,000 last year or 12 months prior to the date of the application.

The government is also offering full-time jobs to all reservists with the military, according to Trudeau.

He says the move will help prop up Canada’s economy while also providing support for communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We’re contacting reservists across the country to see if they’re interested and offering them the same pay and benefits as regular Force personnel for the coming months,” he says.

The military is already helping small communities in northern Quebec at the request of the provincial government.

Health Canada is also building an inventory of specialized work volunteers that provinces and territories can draw on to provide more support to health care workers.

“This could include tracking cases and tracing contact, as well as collecting and reporting data.”

If you can help, sign up by visiting canada.ca/coronavirus. Applications will be open until April 24.

Trudeau also reminded Canadians to keep doing their part in flattening the curve by staying home and avoiding public spaces.

-With files from The Canadian Press

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