The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the global economy to a standstill and Canadians are facing serious financial uncertainty and financial strain. Unprecedented times require a strong response and that’s exactly why our government took swift action and focused on delivering immediate and direct help to those in need. The emergency economic measures put in place help ensure that Nickel Belt – Greater Sudbury residents in dire need have the critical support required to pay for essentials like housing and groceries.

To support individuals and families in critical circumstances our government introduced the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), increased the Canada Child Benefit and boosted the GST/HST benefit. We’ve also extended the Individuals income tax filing date and collaborated with the CMHC to work with banks to defer mortgages. We’ve heard firsthand how these much-needed funds have alleviated pressure for families in our communities.

Post-secondary students are also facing challenges. Whether they recently graduated and were ready to enter the workforce or were set to find a summer job those prospects could have been impacted by COVID-19. We listened to their concerns indicating that many of them did not qualify for Employment Insurance or the new CERB. To support them, our government proposed the Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB), offered expanded opportunities through the Canada Summer Jobs program and suspended repayment and interest on student and apprentice loans among other things.

We’ve also implemented additional economic response measures to support individuals:

• The CERB provides $2000 a month for eligible individuals, this includes people who are self-employed, it has also been extended to include part-time, seasonal workers and those who have recently exhausted their EI benefits
• Provided $305 million to support the needs in First Nations, Inuit, Métis Nation communities and $100 million to support a range of federal health measures for those communities
• Provided $100 million to national, regional, and local organizations across Canada to support the purchase, transport and distribution of food (includes foodbanks, Salvation Army, Breakfast Clubs and more)
• $157.5 million to the Reaching Home initiative to support people experiencing homelessness during the COVID-19 outbreak
• $50 million to women’s shelters and sexual assault centres
• $350 million to support vulnerable Canadians through charities and non-profit organizations that deliver essential services to those in need
• $7.5 million in funding to Kids Help Phone to provide young people with the mental health support they need during this difficult time and launched the Mental Wellness Canada portal for further support those in need
• Up to $3 billion in support to increase the wages of low-income essential workers

We owe our gratitude to those working on the frontlines and we thank them for their continued sacrifices. Whether you’re a doctor, nurse, a long-term care worker, a grocery store clerk, a trucker, or in another industry supporting us through this pandemic just know your impact is making a difference and your service is appreciated. It is also important to thank each one of you following public health official’s recommendations to stay home and practice physical distancing. You are helping flatten the curve and stop the spread of COVID-19. There is still more work to do and in the near future when our economy begins to reopen it will be crucial to keep following public health recommendations to prioritize the safety of all.

In the end, what matters the most is that we continue to pull together, as citizens and communities, to get through the pandemic and keep Canadians healthy and safe. Each day, we see countless stories of neighbours helping neighbours, people giving back to the community, and random acts of kindness. In our community we see our seniors’ clubs, our local not-profits and residents from all corners of the riding making a positive difference. We’ve seen sewing clubs create home-made masks, gardening clubs offer free seeds, and individuals put up messages of hope in their windows to inspire one another.

Although the future may be uncertain, we know much remains to be done. I will continue to listen to your feedback and bring your voice forward to Ottawa so that our government can continue to support families, communities, and businesses while we weather this storm. There are challenges still ahead, but we will face them together.

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Important links

Government of Canada Economic Response Measures
Canada Summer Jobs 2020 temporary flexibilities for employers