How to access benefits

Last updated: November 9, 2020

This page will summarize how to access the benefits designed to help you and your business through the financial difficulties caused by COVID-19. It will be updated as more announcements are made. Where possible, links (shown in green font) will be provided to further information and resources. We encourage you to visit the Federal and Alberta links for a full list of benefits.

Whether you're an individual or a business or both, if you expect any financial hardship from COVID-19, we strongly encourage you to take action now. It's easier to get concessions from your financial institution, landlord, utility company and suppliers if you engage with them early in the process.

If you're not sure how bad it will get, a good place to start is by preparing a detailed analysis of your current cost structure along with a cash flow forecast that incorporates sensitivity analysis. That may sound like it only applies to businesses, but a simplified version can help individuals too.

If you have any questions or need help with anything, please contact us. That's what we're here for!

Support for Individuals

Federal

Personalized list of support - Answer some questions and get a list of benefits and support tailored to you. Check back from time to time as more benefits are added.
Employment Insurance (EI) - NEW - As of Sep 27/20, temporary changes were made to EI to make it easier to apply. If you received CERB through Service Canada, you do not need to apply for EI benefits, but keep completing reports after your last CERB payment. If you received CERB through the CRA, you can apply after the end of the last period you were eligible for CERB. Here's a link to FAQ. If you are not eligible for EI, you may qualify for one of the Canada Recovery benefits (see the next 3 bullet points).
Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) - NEW - Provides $500 per week for up to 26 weeks if you stopped working or had your income reduced by at least 50% due to COVID-19 and are not eligible for EI. Here's a link to FAQ.
Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB) - NEW - Provides $500 per week for up to 2 weeks if you are unable to work for at least 50% of a week because you contracted COVID-19 or are self-isolated for reasons related to COVID-19 or have underlying conditions, treatments or sicknesses that would make you more susceptible to COVID-19. Here's a link to FAQ.
Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB) - NEW - Provides $500 per week for up to 26 weeks per household if you are unable to work 50% of the week because you must care for a child under 12 or family member because facilities closed due to COVID-19 or because the person is sick or required to quarantine or is at high risk of serious health implications due to COVID-19. Here's a link to FAQ.
Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) - NEW - Even though this program has ended, you can still apply until December 2, 2020.
Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB) - This program is now closed.
One-time payment to persons with disabilities - NEW - A tax-free payment of up to $600 to holders of a CRA Disability Tax Credit (DTC) certificate or beneficiaries of CPP Disability or other benefits (see link). If you are eligible for the DTC, but do not have a certificate, you must apply by December 31, 2020. Once you are eligible, you will automatically receive the one time payment.
Other programs - This is not an exhaustive list. We strongly encourage you to review the full list of programs to see if there are others you may qualify for.

Alberta

No specific programs to apply for, but discusses relief from Alberta credit unions and ATB Financial, an education property tax freeze and some of the federal government programs.

Defer payments such as:

Utilities - Call your utility provider
Canada Student Loans and Alberta Student Loans - Six months beginning March 30, no need to apply
Loans and mortgages - Call your financial institution

Support for Businesses

Federal

Personalized list of support - Fill in a story about your business for a personalized list of support. You can save the results, return at any time and sign up for e-mail updates as new announcements are made.
Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) - Covers a portion of employees wages if you have experienced a drop in revenue. It's worth exploring if you have had any drop in revenue compared to either Jan/Feb 2020 or the corresponding month in 2019. CRA has an online calculator that you can use to preview your wage subsidy. Note that this is separate from determining if you are eligible for CEWS. CRA has published an application guide and FAQs. NEW - A proposal has been made to extend the CEWS to June 2021.
Temporary Wage Subsidy (TWS) - Subsidy of 10% of remuneration paid between Mar 18/20 and Jun 20/20 up to $1,375 per employee and a maximum of $25,000 per employer. NEW - CRA has published guidance on reporting the TWS.
Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) - Provides interest-free loans of up to $40,000 to small businesses and not-for-profits. There are two ways to qualify: 1) organizations that paid between $20,000 and $1,500,000 in total payroll in 2019 and 2) organizations with less than $20,000 in 2019 and eligible estimated non-deferrable expenses between $40,000 and $1,500,000 in 2020 (e.g. rent, property taxes, utilities and insurance). The expanded criteria make CEBA available to more businesses including businesses that pay dividends, sole proprietors and businesses that rely on contractors. Repaying the loan by December 31, 2022 will result in loan forgiveness of 25% (up to $10,000). Contact your financial institution to apply for these loans. Apply by December 31, 2020. NEW - A proposal has been made to expand CEBA to provide an additional $20,000 loan, half of which would be forgivable if repaid by December 31, 2022.
Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS) - NEW - Proposed direct rent and mortgage support for qualifying businesses, charities and non-profits of up to 65% of eligible expenses until December 19, 2020 with an additional 25% of rent support for those affected by a mandatory public health order. More details to follow once legislation has been passed.
Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) - This program is now closed.
Work-Sharing program - An EI program that helps to avoid layoffs; must be submitted 30 days before the requested start date.
Other programs - This is not an exhaustive list. We strongly encourage you to review the full list of programs to see if there are others you may qualify for. There is targeted support for young entrepreneurs, women entrepreneurs, Indigenous businesses and Black business owners and entrepreneurs. There is also support for specific sectors.

Alberta

Small and Medium Enterprise Relaunch Grant - Provides up to $5,000 in funding for organizations that were ordered to close or curtail operations and had a revenue reduction of 50% in April or May. Funding is 15% of pre-COVID-19 revenue up to $5,000. Organizations can apply for each location/chapter/branch they operate. See the details in the pdf located here and a list of COVID-19 public health orders here. Applications are open and are made through My Alberta Digital ID.
Protection for commercial tentants - You should not face rent increases or be evicted for non-payment of rent due to COVID-19 from March 17, 2020 until August 31, 2020.
WCB premium payment deferral (pdf) - 2020 premiums deferred to 2021 at which time small and medium-sized private employers will have 50% of their 2020 premiums waived. If you have already made payments towards 2020 premiums, they will be refunded automatically.
Education property tax deferral - The increase from Budget 2020 was reversed and collection will be deferred for 6 months. Commercial landlords have been encouraged to pass savings on to tenants.
If you have tough decisions surrounding employees, speak to your employment lawyer first. There are new rules around job-protected leave related to COVID-19 as well as possible implications around restricting travel, notification of possible exposure, privacy rights, occupational health and safety, human rights and so on.

Defer payments such as:

Utilities - Call your utility provider
Loans and lines of credit (or access additional working capital) - Call your financial institution