Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB)

Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) is a taxable benefit that would provide $500 a week for up to 16 weeks for workers who lose their income due to reasons related to COVID-19.1 This includes Canadians who have lost their job, are sick, quarantined, taking care of someone who is sick with COVID-19 as well as working parents who must stay home without pay to care for children who are at home because of school and daycare closures. Workers are defined as anyone who received at least $5,000 in the previous 12 months in employment income, self-employment income, Employment Insurance benefits, or other provincial benefits as outlined in Bill C-13. PBO estimates 5.4 million individuals will receive the CERB and the program will have a total cost of $22.3 billion in 2020-2021.