Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) to be extended by 8 weeks

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau began this morning’s press briefing by announcing that eligibility for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) is being extended by eight weeks. This comes after last month’s extension of the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) through the end of August.

“A lot of people still need this support to pay their bills while they look for work,” Justin Trudeau said. “That’s why, today, I am announcing that the eligibility for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) will be extended by eight weeks. So if you’ve been getting the CERB and you still can’t work because you’re unable to find a job or it’s just not possible, you will keep getting that $2,000 a month. Over the next few weeks our government will look at international best practices and monitor the economy and the progression of the virus to see what changes, if any, need to be made to the program so that more people are properly supported. But I want to be very clear here with Canadians: Our goal here is to make sure that the CERB is working for you in the best way possible. Our government will continue to be there for you. This pandemic is an unprecedented challenge for our country and we are going to make sure that all of our supports, including the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy and Employment Insurance are working effectively to get Canadians back on their feet.”