An end to CERB announced by Prime Minister Trudeau: 980 CKNW

The Canadian Federal government has announced that the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit will end in September. With COVID-19 continuing to affect the employment status of many, Canadians are expressing concern for their financial status heading into the fall.

A Vancouver employment lawyer joined Jody Vance on The Lynda Steele Show on 980 CKNW to discuss how Canadians should prepare, and what a new Employment Insurance program will look like.

What They Discussed

• What does Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s comment on EI mean for those currently on CERB? The new program will be more streamlined due to how CERB was processed; there should not be many obstacles people will have to go through in order to apply and be eligible for EI.
• Are employees in the gig economy part of this new plan? As there is an increased need for aid for those working in the gig economy, there will be a corresponding benefit.
• Will eligibility for the new EI program differ from its previous iteration? The policies for the new Employment Insurance program seem to match those of CERB particularly in terms of deadlines.