Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan

The Government of Canada is taking immediate, significant and decisive action to help Canadians facing hardship as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.  

Support for individuals and families

• Increasing the Canada Child Benefit
• Special Goods and Services Tax credit payment
• Extra time to file income tax returns
• Mortgage support

Support for people facing unemployment

• The new Canada Emergency Response Benefit
• Apply for Employment Insurance

Support for people who are sick, quarantined, or in directed self-isolation

• The new Canada Emergency Response Benefit
• Improved access to Employment Insurance sickness benefits

Support for people who are unable to work

• The new Canada Emergency Response Benefit

Support for people who need it most

• A new Indigenous Community Support Fund
• Enhancing the Reaching Home initiative
• Support for women’s shelters and sexual assault centres

Support for seniors

• Reduced minimum withdrawals for Registered Retirement Income Funds

Support for students and recent graduates

• A moratorium on the repayment of Canada Student Loans

Support to businesses

Support to farmers

• Increasing credit available
• Information for the agriculture and agri-food industry

Avoiding layoffs

• Extending the Work-Sharing program
• Providing small business with wage subsidies

Access to credit

• Establishing a Business Credit Availability Program

Supporting financial stability

• Launching an Insured Mortgage Purchase Program
• Bank of Canada actions
• Lowering the Domestic Stability Buffer

More flexibility

• More time to pay income taxes

Related links

• Canada.ca/coronavirus