Jump to: Information for Individuals Information for Businesses Important Links
Key Points For Individuals
Tax Relief
- Tax Return Due Date Referral
- personal tax filing due date will be June 1, 2020
- those expecting refunds or benefits (GST/HST credit, GIS, CCB) should file ASAP to avoid a lapse in payment
- Tax Payment Deferral
- to after August 31, 2020
- payment of income tax amounts (including instalments) that become owing on or after March 18 and before September
- no interest or penalties will accumulate on these amounts during this period
Temporary Income Support for Workers
- EI Sickness Benefits
- for workers without paid sick leave who are sick, quarantined or forced to stay home to care for children will have access to benefits
- without the one week waiting period, effective March 15
- without the requirement to provide a medical certificate
- for workers without paid sick leave who are sick, quarantined or forced to stay home to care for children will have access to benefits

- Canada Emergency Response Benefit
- replaces the Emergency Care Benefit and the Emergency Support Benefit
- taxable benefit would provide $2,000 a month for up to four months for workers who lose their income as a result of the COVID-19
- Canadians who:
- have lost their job
- are sick, quarantined or taking care of someone who is sick with COVID-19
- are working parents who must stay home without pay to care for children who are sick or at home because of school and daycare closures
- apply to wage earners, as well as contract workers and self-employed individuals who would not otherwise be eligible for Employment Insurance (EI)
- workers who are still employed, but are not receiving income because of disruptions to their work situation due to COVID-19
- all Canadians who have ceased working due to COVID-19, whether they are EI-eligible or not, would be able to receive the CERB
- portal for accessing the CERB would be available in early April
- begin to receive CERB payments within 10 days of application
- CERB would be paid every four weeks and be available from March 15, 2020 until October 3, 2020
- Additional information about EI & CERB
- those already receiving EI regular and sickness benefits
- continue to receive their benefits
- should not apply to the CERB
- if benefits end before October 3 and are unable to return to work due to COVID-19
- apply for the CERB once their EI benefits cease
- those who have already applied for EI and whose application has not yet been processed would not need to reapply
- those eligible for EI regular and sickness benefits would still be able to access their normal EI benefits, if still unemployed, after the 16-week period covered by the CERB
- those already receiving EI regular and sickness benefits
Longer Term Income Support for Individuals
- Low/Modest Income Individuals
- will receive a one-time special payment by early May 2020 through the Goods and Services Tax credit
- an average boost to income for those benefitting by close to $400 for single individuals and close to $600 for couples
- increase Canada Child Benefit payment amounts by $300 per child for the 2019-20 benefit year
- added to the May 2020 benefit cheque
- added to the May 2020 benefit cheque
- will receive a one-time special payment by early May 2020 through the Goods and Services Tax credit

- for children under 12 , a one time payment of $200 per child ($250 for a child with special needs)
- apply through portal soon to be launched
- GIS payments will double to $322/mth
- no indication of time frame
New information March 25, 2020
- Changes to the EI Work Sharing Program
- extending the eligibility to 76 weeks
- easing eligibility requirements
- streamlining the application process
Financial Assistance for Individuals

- Municipalities urged to provide Property Tax Deferrals to municipal taxpayers
New Information March 25, 2020
- Mortgage Deferral Program
- up to 6-month payment deferral
- relief on other credit products
- flexible payment solutions
- Student Loan Moratorium
- six-month interest free moratorium on the repayment of Canada Student Loans
- Minimum RRIF Withdrawals
- reduced by 25% for 2020
- similar rules for receiving variable benefit payments from RPP
- Interest Rate Cuts
- Bank of Canada reduced prime interest rate to .75%
- other bank have also reduced rates
- Emergency Loan Program
- to Canadians in need of immediate financial assistance to return home
- emergency assistance is a repayable loan
- Indigenous Community Support Fund
- to address immediate needs in the First Nations, Inuit and Metis Nation communities
- Homelessness
- support the homeless during the outbreak
- purchasing beds, physical barriers and reducing overcrowding in shelters
- Domestic Abuse Shelters
- increase capacity and prevent outbreak in their facilities
Information For Businesses
Tax Relief for Businesses
- Tax Payment Extension for Businesses
- to after August 31, 2020
- payment of income tax amounts (including instalments) that become owing on or after March 18 and before September
- no interest or penalties will accumulate on these amounts during this period
Temporary Measures for Businesses

- Increase in the Employer Health Tax exemption
- 10% corporate tax credit for qualifying regions
- WSIB premium deferral for up to six months
New information March 25, 2020
- Payroll Subsidies
- a temporary wage subsidy for a period of three months
- equal to 10% of remuneration paid during that period
- up to a maximum of $1,375 per employee and $25,000 per employer
- by reducing their remittances of income tax
- effective immediately
- CRA Audit Activity
- will not initiate any post assessment GST/HST or Income Tax audits for the next four weeks
- CRA will temporarily suspend audit interaction with taxpayers (in most cases)
Financial Assistance for Businesses
- Business Credit Availability Program
- $10 billion of additional credit support
- Additional credit through Farm Credit Canada for the agri-food sector
- $300 billion in additional lending by the banks
- Liaison Officer Service
- available by phone
- ensuring businesses are aware of any changes such as:
- filing and payment deadlines
- proactive relief measures, etc
Other Payment & Filing Extensions
No comments were made about changing the filing and payment dates for payroll, GST/HST and other non-income tax items.
Important Links
- These measures were announced on March 18, 2020 and March 25, 2020 – draft legislation is to come.
- Over the next few days and weeks, specifics to these programs will be finalized.
- Most of the details will be released on one of these four webpages: