The federal government is introducing new measures totalling $9 billion to assist students facing a summer in which seasonal work is unlikely to materialize.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Wednesday (April 22) the introduction of a monthly benefit worth $1,250 that would extend from May to August.
The Canada Emergency Student Benefit goes up to $1,750 a month for students with disabilities or who have to take care of someone else.
It will apply to current students as well as those who graduated stretching back to December 2019.
Trudeau promised the federal government would soon be creating 76,000 jobs for young people in addition to the Canada Summer Jobs program, adding specific support would be introduced for Indigenous students as well.
Ottawa is also launching the Canada Student Service Grant for students who volunteer to address COVID-19-related issues.
Those volunteers will be eligible for $1,000-5,000, depending on how many hours are worked.
Graduate students will be able to tap into $291 million in extended scholarships, fellowships and grants.
Meanwhile, student grants committed for the year will be doubled by the government with $75 million in support going to Indigenous students.
Many students do not qualify for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), which requires applicants to have earned $5,000 in the past 12 months.
The $24-billion CERB program offers $2,000 a month to workers for up to 16 weeks.
The measure was introduced as a means to take pressure off the Employment Insurance (EI) system.
The program also applies to the self-employed and contract workers, as well as those in quarantine or caring for family member hit by the virus — groups that would have otherwise not qualified for EI.
More to come ...
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