As the pandemic continues, not everyone is back to work yet causing some to worry about their financial situation.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced June 16 that the federal government will be extending the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) eligibility period by eight weeks. Applications for the program opened on April 6 to help support Canadians who were affected by the shutdown of non-essential businesses. Originally, Canadians eligible for CERB could access the benefits for up to 16 weeks for a total of $8,000. By the first week of July and throughout the summer, millions of Canadians would have reached the end of the eligibility period without the extension.

With the extra eight weeks of benefits being made available, Canadians will have more time to find a job or start working again, and once more business can get closer to fully reopening. Trudeau said Canadians shouldn’t have to worry about hitting the limit on their CERB benefits while also worrying about finding a job.

At the start of June, more than eight million Canadians have received the $2,000 monthly payments costing the federal government over $43 billion. With the extension of the program, the federal government will see the total increase of approximately $17 billion each month the benefits continue. The government is hoping as businesses reopen, less people will need to access CERB. Businesses will be able to access the federal wage subsidy program to help people get put back on their employer’s payroll and back to work. The program allows businesses to apply to receive a 75 per cent wage subsidy to help with their relaunch.