April 11, 2020 – Ottawa, Ontario – Department of Finance Canada

The Government of Canada is taking immediate, significant and decisive action to support Canadians and businesses facing hardship as a result of the COVID-19 global pandemic.

The Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy is a key measure in the Government of Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan. It will provide a strong incentive for employers to pay employees who have been sent home for health and safety reasons or due to lack of work. It will enable employers to retain employees who are still on the payroll and to rehire workers previously laid off. With the CEWS program, families across Canada will be able to count on a steady income.

Today, Bill C-14, the COVID-19 Emergency Response Act, No. 2, received Royal Assent, bringing this measure into law. This legislation includes additional flexibilities announced on April 8, 2020, and refined as part of the legislative process. With these improvements, the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy will provide effective support to those eligible employers that are hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic and will help protect the jobs Canadians depend on during these difficult times.

The government continues to monitor all developments relating to the COVID-19 pandemic and will take further action as necessary to protect Canadians and the economy.