Students can apply for COVID-19 emergency aid beginning Friday

Post-secondary students eligible for COVID-19 emergency aid can apply for the benefit startingFriday.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confirmed the date for opening the $9-billion program this morningduring his daily briefing. He advised claimants to sign up for an account on the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) website to ensure the process moves as quickly as possible.

Students who saw their job prospects dry up because of the pandemic are eligible for$1,250 a month from May through August. The benefit also is availableto students who havejobsbut are making less than $1,000 a month.

Students caring fordependents or those with a disability will receive $2,000 a month the same amount offered by the Canada emergency response benefit (CERB), which provides assistance to Canadians who lost their incomes due to the global pandemic.

Watch: Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough on aid for students

Qualtrough on student emergency aid

4 years ago

Duration 1:44

Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough responds to questions about COVID-19 emergency aid for post-secondary students.

Employment Minister Carla Qualtroughsaid students with direct deposit can expect payments within three to five days.

Students who haven't yet filed a tax return must call CRA to register their social insurance numbers.

Students collecting the emergency financial aid will be required to confirm they're looking for summer work and will be connected witha government job bank to help employers struggling with labour shortages.

Providing incentives to work

During an in-personsitting in the House of Commons today, Bloc Qubcois LeaderYves-Franois Blanchetpressed Trudeau to state whatthe government is doing to givestudents incentivesto take jobs in sectors facing labour gaps, such as agriculture and fish processing.

Trudeau said the student applicantswill be directed toa job bank managed by the government, and expressed confidence that young Canadians will work if they can.

"They don't just want money. They want work experience," he said.

Asked if the government could change theamount of money students can earn while stillcollecting the benefit, Qualtrough said the program could be adapted quickly through regulation.

"As we head into recovery and as provinces open up their economies, there is regulatory flexibility in both cases for both the CERB and the student benefit to monitor the situation and change accordingly as it evolves. But it would be very premature for me to say that's coming any time soon," she said.

Students struggling to pay rent

Kalin McCluskey, executive director of the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations, called the aid "substantial and welcome" and said that students feeling the financial pinch are happy to know money is on the way.

"Groceries and rent cannot wait," she said. "We know students are still strugglingand are relieved this much-needed relief is coming."

McCluskey said some gaps still remain, citing the plight ofinternational students who aren't eligible for the benefit.

"We are also concerned about students being able to find employment opportunities that are safe this summer and beyond, as well as the ability of students to return to class in an online environment without adequate technology and broadband internet access," she said.

Other measures that have been announced to help students include:

• A stipend of between $1,000 and $5,000 for student volunteers, depending on the number of hours they work.
• A move to doublestudent grants for eligible students up to $6,000 for full-time students and up to $3,600 for part-time students.
• An increase inthe maximum weekly amount that can be provided through the Canada student loans program in 2020-2021, to $350 from $210.
• Another $75 million in additional supports for Indigenous post-secondary students.