Thread by @ArmineYalnizyan

.@JustinTrudeau announces $2K every month for the next 4 months who lose their income as result of COVID
The new Canada Emergency Response Benefit replaces ECB and ESB (Emergency Care Benefit and Emergency Support Benefit, announced March 18)
Who gets it? /2

CERB is there for you even if employed.
If lost your job, whether you work full time, contract or self-employed.
If you are sick or quarantined, looking after the sick or children.
Even if still employed, you still get it.
Start receiving $ in 10 days of applying /3

Hopeful can apply as of April 6.
Means that income flows doesn't start until mid April.
Looking for ways to help people bridge to then with credit.
Looking for ways to support businesses to reduce layoffs (ex Denmark, Germany models) will make more announcements soon. /4

Businesses given extra liquidity/credit last wk, reducing pressure to layoff.
People will get Canada Emergency Response Benefit to help them over next 4 months.
Know that money needs to get out quickly, but system needs to be reliable.
Have never expanded supports at this pace/5

I've been livetweeting what the PM has been saying.
Now 3 points from me, to those who worry about cash not flowing fast enough to people who've already lost their job, and who were already living near-crisis.
1. Some jobless benefits already flowing/will flow before mid Apr /6

2. Speed is essential, but sometimes speed kills. The last thing we need is the phoenixization of the income transfer system, amidst a health and economic crisis. An Apr 6 target date for applications, and money flowing 10 days later, may not happen. Not for want of trying. /7

3. Some people just can't wait. They were already living paycheque to paycheque, and have now lost income.
To this urgency, it needs to be said, the feds aren't the only ones responsible. We all have a role to play.
As incomes evaporate, we can press pause on payments too /8

4. All provinces should ensure no one loses their housing because they are sick or can't make rent. Ontario has ended enforcement of existing eviction orders and stopped all new eviction orders. That should happen everywhere.
/9

Utilities can defer payments. Cities can defer property taxes. Banks can defer mortgages. Landlords can defer rents.

Let's take the pressure off one another. Let's take care of what needs caring for.

Ending non-essential everything means we are now in the #EssentialEconomy.

EI system hasn't shut down, but most income support will flow thru the Canada Emergency Response Benefit instead.
If you're already getting EI, or in the system having your claim processed, you're automatically migrated to the CERB. No need to reapply.
canada.ca/en/department-…

"EI eligible Canadians who have lost their job can continue to apply for EI here, as can Canadians applying for other EI benefits." (that's because the fact CERB is generous at $2K a month for up to 4 months, max insurable earnings mean some of the unemployed wd get more thru EI)

Maximum insurable jobless benefits are $573 a week (i.e. more than $2K/mth)
If you're still on payroll, but lost hours because of falling demand, you also get CERB.
Not sure what that means for worksharing arrangements under EI, but sure is faster and more transparent.

Interesting development - Morneau says the feds are working with banks to help speed applications/flows of funds to people through online banking, on top of CRA MyAccount portals.
May be good news. Unclear if addition of intake portals relieve or contribute to system pressure.