Adamson & Associates, Inc. Answers What Happens Now That EI And CRB Have Ended
The Canada Recovery Benefit introduced by the federal government to support individuals and businesses during COVID-19 ended on October 23rd. The newly proposed Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit that replaces it is a temporary and more targeted measure that applies only to individuals whose work is interrupted by a complete COVID-19 lockdown in their region. Canadians relying on the government's emergency benefits must find new ways to manage their finances in a landscape of rising inflation.
LONDON, Ontario, Nov. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Canada Recovery Benefit Expired on October 23rd
The Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) was launched in September 2020, along with the Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB) and the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB), to replace the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB).
Last year, those Canadians who could not work due to the pandemic were able to claim payments through either a modified Employment Insurance (EI) program or the CRB.
The CRSB and CRCB will be extended until May 2022.
However, the CRB expired on October 23, 2021.
The New Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit Replaces the CRB
The Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit (CWLB) has replaced the CRB. The CWLB will be available to Canadians until May 7, 2022 (retroactive to October 24, 2021).
The CWLB provides $300 per week to eligible applicants or workers whose job has been interrupted as a result of a government-imposed lockdown related to COVID-19.
According to an official statement, "The Government of Canada wants to ensure that if another level of government takes a decision to impose a temporary lockdown to save lives and stop the spread, they can do so with full confidence that individuals will get the income support they need."
The CWLB will be open to workers that are ineligible for EI and those who are eligible for EI so long as they aren't paid benefits for the same application period.
However, it will not be accessible to workers who have lost income or employment due to a refusal to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
The Impact of Canada's High Cost of Living on Canadians
According to a new study from the non-profit Angus Reid Institute, nine out of ten Canadians are actually more concerned about the rising cost of living than they are about the prospect of losing their jobs or income security.
And with good reason. While salaries may be rising, they are not keeping up with inflation.
LifeWorks' survey on the salary plans of Canadian employers (excluding those organizations planning a salary freeze) shows a projected average annual pay increase of 2.7% for the coming year.
That bump in salary falls short of Canada's 18-year-high inflation rate of 4.4%, which is driven by high gas prices, soaring housing costs, and climbing food prices.
Unfortunately, this upward trend is not new.
In another Angus Reid Institute study conducted at the end of 2020, 80% of Canadians said that the amount of money they earned would not cover a predicted increase of $695 more on groceries in 2021. And for those that are most economically vulnerable, that percentage jumped to 98%.
This situation can easily leave hard-working Canadians unable to afford goods and services.
What Canadians Depending on EI or CRB Should Do Next
Those affected by the expiration of the government's emergency benefits need to act immediately to get a handle on their finances.
They may wish to consult the Government of Canada's Benefits Finder tool. Here, Canadians can learn which federal, provincial, or territorial benefits may be available to them.
They may also wish to contact a Licensed Insolvency Trustee (LIT) to figure out a plan on how to financially manage their situation after their benefits expire.
LITs are federally licensed and regulated by the Canadian government. They're able to assist Canadian debtors with the full range of debt relief options, from simple budgeting all the way to Bankruptcy.
In fact, Licensed Insolvency Trustees are the only professionals who can assist Canadian debtors with filing a Consumer Proposal or Bankruptcy.
For those Canadians currently on EI or CRB, an LIT offers the knowledge and tools they need to help them get a sense of where their finances are and how to manage them.
The initial consultation with an LIT is always free, and no referral is needed.
About Adamson & Associates Inc. Licensed Insolvency Trustee:
Adamson & Associates Inc. was founded by John Adamson of St. Thomas, Ontario in 1996.
He is a Licensed Insolvency Trustee (LIT), a Chartered Insolvency and Restructuring Professional (CIRP), and a Chartered Professional Accountant with a Certified Management Accounting designation (CPA, CMA). Adamson & Associates Inc. has more than 25 years of helping individuals, small business owners, and lenders find solutions to debt problems. For more information, visit https://www.adamsontrustee.com/ or schedule a free, no obligation initial consultation at 519-310-JOHN (3546).
Media Contact
John Adamson, Adamson & Associates, Inc. Licensed Insolvency Trustee, +1 (519)633-8185, [email protected]
SOURCE Adamson & Associates, Inc.
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