COVID-19 Support for Individuals
May 8, 2020
Individuals and families
- Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB)
- Increasing the Canada Child Benefit
- Special Goods and Services Tax credit payment
- Extra time to file income tax returns
- Mortgage payment deferral
Indigenous peoples
- Addressing immediate needs in Indigenous communities
- Supporting Indigenous communities public health needs and preparedness
- Making personal hygiene products and nutritious food more affordable
- Providing support to Indigenous post-secondary students
- $75.2 million to offer additional distinctions-based support to First Nations, Inuit and Métis Nation post-secondary students
In addition to the measures above, Indigenous peoples can also access benefits listed under Support for individuals and Support for businesses.
People who need it most
- Improving access to essential food support
- We are providing $100 million to national, regional, and local organizations across Canada to:
- Purchase, transport and distribute food and other basic necessities;
- hire temporary help to fill volunteer shortages;
- implement safety measures, such as the purchase of personal protective equipment, to reduce the spread of COVID-19 among volunteers and clients.
- These organizations – including but not limited to Food Banks Canada, Salvation Army, Second Harvest, Community Food Centres Canada, and Breakfast Club of Canada – will work with partners to meet the urgent food needs of Canadians.
- We are providing $100 million to national, regional, and local organizations across Canada to:
- Supporting people experiencing homelessness
- Supporting women and children fleeing violence
- Delivering essential services to those in need
- 350 million to support vulnerable Canadians through charities and non-profit organizations that deliver essential services to those in need;
- The investment will flow through national organizations that have the ability to get funds quickly to local organizations that serve vulnerable populations. It will support a variety of activities, such as:
- Increasing volunteer-based home deliveries of groceries and medications;
- Providing transportation services, like accompanying or driving seniors or persons with disabilities to appointments;
- Scaling up help lines that provide information and support.
- Helping vulnerable Canadians access government benefits;
- Providing training, supplies, and other required supports to volunteers so they can continue to make their invaluable contributions to the COVID-19 response;
- Replacing in-person, one-on-one contact and social gatherings with virtual contact through phone calls, texts, teleconferences, or the Internet.