Updates for financial assistance (CERB, GST, ODSP, etc). (from Kenneth Pope Law)
CERB: Canada Emergency Response Benefit: Taxable
benefit of $2,000/month ($500/week) for up to 16 weeks for workers who have stopped
working due to COVID-19 – 15 March to 3 October 2020. ODSP recipients
who were also employed will have their ODSP offset but exceeds maximum
ODSP by $831 for 4 months so we think it's worth considering.
Criteria:
Criteria:
- Must be “residing in Canada” but not necessary to be citizen or permanent resident
- Must have a valid SIN, and be at least 15 years old
- Must have had income of at least $5,000 in 2019 or past 12 months (employment / self-employment / EI maternity or parental benefits or combination thereof)
- Must expect to have no employment / self-employment income for at least 14 days in initial four-week period and no employment income at all in subsequent benefit periods
What does “stopped working due to COVID-19” mean?
- You have been let go from your job or your hours have been reduced to zero – layoff not required
- You are in quarantine or sick due to COVID-19
- You are away from work to take care of others because they are in quarantine or sick due to COVID-19
- You are away from work to take care of children or other dependents whose care facility is closed due to COVID-19
- You cannot quit your job voluntarily
- Not currently available to people with minimal income or students unable to get work
- No medical certificate required for CERB – personal contact information and SIN only – but additional documentation to verify eligibility may be required later
- Apply for CERB online or over the phone, for details click HERE
CCB: May payment will be automatically increased by
up to $300/child
GST credit: One-time enhancement of $400-$600 on April payment
GST credit: One-time enhancement of $400-$600 on April payment
- Impact on clients with CRA refund setoffs? Speak to CRA collection officer at 1-800-675-6184 (8am-4pm)
Taxes: Filing due date for 2019 tax returns deferred
to 1 June 2020
Seniors: GAINS payments for low-income seniors doubled to $166/month for singles and $332/month for couples for a period of six months beginning April 2020.
Children: One-time payments to families with children affected by school and daycare closures ($200/child up to 12, $250/child with special needs) – application portal now open (Should be exempt from income/assets for purposes of OW/ODSP eligibility – no confirmation yet)
Energy relief: off-peak price 24 hours a day for 45 days – expanded eligibility for LEAP – winter ban on disconnections for non-payment extended to July 31. Also consider the $45/month energy subsidy you might qualify for!
Students: OSAP loan and interest accrual relief for 6 months
Expanded funding for discretionary benefits to both OW and ODSP recipients – request must be made through online application portal or caseworker
Ontario Works and ODSP recipients can access emergency benefits by contacting their caseworker.
Emergency benefits for COVID-19 related expenses are the same for both programs: up to $100 for single individuals and up to $200 for families. We recommend all communications with ODSP be in writing by mail or fax, as phone calls are rarely answered. For the address and fax number of your local office, click HERE
ODSP applicants or recipients facing deadlines to submit DDPs or medical review packages who cannot get appointments to see health-care providers should call the DAU at 1-888-256-6758 to request extensions
Expiry dates on special diet allowance, MSN benefits and pay-direct arrangements are to be automatically extended through SAMS (manually by First Nation Administrators)
New applications for pregnancy-breastfeeding nutritional allowance will be accepted without usual health-care provider verification – clients can self-declare or submit verification by midwife
SBT will continue to schedule telephone hearings – staff will not contact parties in advance – objections may be made under the SBT Rules and concerns will be addressed on a case-by-case basis –- Members have been directed to treat adjournment requests with flexibility and empathy
For more information on Canada’s COVID-19
Economic Response Plan, visitSeniors: GAINS payments for low-income seniors doubled to $166/month for singles and $332/month for couples for a period of six months beginning April 2020.
Children: One-time payments to families with children affected by school and daycare closures ($200/child up to 12, $250/child with special needs) – application portal now open (Should be exempt from income/assets for purposes of OW/ODSP eligibility – no confirmation yet)
Energy relief: off-peak price 24 hours a day for 45 days – expanded eligibility for LEAP – winter ban on disconnections for non-payment extended to July 31. Also consider the $45/month energy subsidy you might qualify for!
Students: OSAP loan and interest accrual relief for 6 months
Expanded funding for discretionary benefits to both OW and ODSP recipients – request must be made through online application portal or caseworker
Ontario Works and ODSP recipients can access emergency benefits by contacting their caseworker.
Emergency benefits for COVID-19 related expenses are the same for both programs: up to $100 for single individuals and up to $200 for families. We recommend all communications with ODSP be in writing by mail or fax, as phone calls are rarely answered. For the address and fax number of your local office, click HERE
ODSP applicants or recipients facing deadlines to submit DDPs or medical review packages who cannot get appointments to see health-care providers should call the DAU at 1-888-256-6758 to request extensions
Expiry dates on special diet allowance, MSN benefits and pay-direct arrangements are to be automatically extended through SAMS (manually by First Nation Administrators)
New applications for pregnancy-breastfeeding nutritional allowance will be accepted without usual health-care provider verification – clients can self-declare or submit verification by midwife
SBT will continue to schedule telephone hearings – staff will not contact parties in advance – objections may be made under the SBT Rules and concerns will be addressed on a case-by-case basis –- Members have been directed to treat adjournment requests with flexibility and empathy
https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/economic-response-plan.html
and
https://covid-19.ontario.ca/
Family support:
- Support for families While schools and child care centres are closed, parents can apply for direct funding to offset the cost of buying materials to support their children’s learning, while they practice self-isolation and physical distancing.
Federal:
- Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan: Support for Canadians and Businesses
- Applications for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit are now open at Canada.ca/coronavirus or by phone 1-833-966-2099. As of Monday, April 6, Canadians who have lost their income due to COVID-19 can begin to apply for the new federal emergency aid benefit. Those born in the first three months of the year will be able to apply Monday, while those born in other months can apply later in the week.
- Support for Canadians
- Income Support for Individuals Who Need it Most
- Flexibility for Taxpayers
Banks/Financial Institutions
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