Author: Ryan Flanagan
Source: ctvnews.ca
The extraordinary economic hit caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has governments of all stripes offering unprecedented assistance to affected Canadians.
It can be a lot to sort through, even for those who were already familiar with the social supports set up by the federal and provincial governments before the crisis hit.
To clarify the situation, CTVNews.ca has compiled a cross-country guide to exactly what each jurisdiction is directly offering residents whose jobs have been affected.
Every Canadian who is losing income due to the pandemic is eligible to apply for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit, which offers $2,000 per month for up to four months. Applications are expected to open in April. The government has said that applications will be able to be made through CRA MyAccount or My Service Canada Account or by calling a toll-free number that has not yet been announced.
Here is a look at measures that have been announced in Ontario:
Ontario: The Ontario government said March 25 that it will offer one-time payments to parents of children who are affected by school and daycare closures. These payments will be $200 per child up to the age of 12, or $250 if the child is considered to have special needs. Low-income seniors will also see increases in their usual payments from the province for six months, some families will be newly eligible to receive support paying hydro bills, and access to the Ontario Works income support program will be expanded as well.