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C-2Royal assent received

More Help During COVID-19

More COVID-19 Help

Introduced Nov 24, 2021·Last discussed Dec 17, 2021
Summary

This now-approved proposed law made some changes to COVID-19 support programs. It extended the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) and the Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS). These programs helped businesses that lost money because of the pandemic. The changes let them get support for a longer time. It also created a new benefit called the Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit. This gave money to people who couldn't work because of a local lockdown. These changes affected Canadian businesses and workers. Businesses could keep getting help to pay their employees and rent. This helped them stay open and avoid laying people off. Workers who lost their jobs or couldn't work because of lockdowns got money to help pay for their living expenses. This law mattered because it gave more help to people and businesses struggling during the pandemic. It helped keep the economy going and made sure people had enough money to live on. The changes were designed to target the help to those who needed it most, based on how much their revenue dropped.

Where This Lands on Key Issues

Where this proposed law falls on the policy spectrums that Canadians care about

Taxes & Government SpendingExpand government programs significantly

The bill provides additional government support due to COVID-19, which implies increased government spending. This pushes the alignment towards the +2 end of the spectrum.

This bill
Bill Quality
Solid

This proposed law extends COVID-19 support programs for businesses and workers, which is helpful. However, the rules for who qualifies and how much they get are complex and change over time, which could be confusing.

Things to Watch For

  • The specific percentages for revenue decline and subsidy rates are subject to change by regulation, so citizens should watch for those changes.
  • The rules around executive compensation repayment could be difficult for the average person to understand and track.
  • Eligibility for some benefits depends on whether a business was operating before the pandemic, which may exclude some new businesses.
Progress

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