
Feds will create EI-like benefit for gig, contract workers as CERB winds down
OTTAWA – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the government will create a transitional benefit to help workers who exhaust emergency pandemic aid and don’t qualify for employment insurance.
The $80-billion Canada Emergency Response Benefit is set to wind down over the coming weeks, with those who are EI-eligible to move onto that separate program.
Speaking this morning, Trudeau says many people who don’t qualify for the program, such as gig or contract workers, will gain access to a transitional, parallel benefit that is similar to EI.
It will also include access to training and the ability to work more hours without having as steep a clawback in benefit payments.