B.C.鈥檚 small businesses and workers who don鈥檛 usually qualify for Employment Insurance will receive payments soon to make up for income lost to COVID-19, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says.
Trudeau announced Wednesday that 鈥渆xceptional measures鈥� are in the works to help people affected by the shutdown of large parts of the economy. The aid comes from a $27 billion fund to aid businesses and employees who can鈥檛 work due to public health restrictions.
鈥淲e really wanted to target people who are specifically losing their income,鈥� said Trudeau, adding that payments should be flowing 鈥渨ithin the next few weeks.鈥�
B.C. Premier John Horgan and Finance Minister Carole James called for that measure Tuesday, as officials announced the indefinite closure of schools, bars, some restaurants, dental offices and other functions.
BC is working on its own economic aid now that Ottawa has detailed its plan, says
鈥� Tom Fletcher (@tomfletcherbc)
鈥淎s we know, more and more people are working contract-to-contract or are self employed in the gig economy,鈥� Horgan said after his government started reviewing the federal package. 鈥淭hese workers also deserve direct support as they self-isolate or care for a family member or children. Therefore, I am pleased to see that federal government responded to our request for additional benefits for those who don鈥檛 qualify for Employment Insurance.鈥�
James said she will prepare B.C.鈥檚 own aid package to deal with COVID-19 once the details of Ottawa鈥檚 program are known. Businesses have asked for relief from provincial sales tax and employer health tax among other measures, and James said she is preparing to take the province into deficit to get through the crisis.
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Finance Minister Bill Morneau said the 鈥渆mergency care benefit鈥� will provide contractors, freelancers, part-time and 鈥済ig economy鈥� workers up to $900 every two weeks, for 15 weeks starting in early April.
Morneau also announced a wage top-up of up to $25,000 over three months for employers to help them make payroll, effective immediately.
tfletcher@blackpress.ca
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