Reminder: CERB recipients must reapply for further benefits
Canadians receiving income from the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) must reapply for another four weeks of benefits. The CERB offers $500 per week for Canadians who’ve lost work due to the COVID-19 pandemic up to a maximum of 16 weeks, but recipients must confirm their eligibility for the program every four weeks.
The renewal payments are not automatic, meaning anyone who applied for CERB between April 6 and April 10 will need to reapply for the benefit.
For the upcoming wave of payments, CERB recipients born in January, February or March can begin applying on May 11, those born in April, May or June can begin to apply on May 12, those born in July, August or September can begin on May 13 and those born in October, November or December can begin their application on May 14.
Recipients can reapply for the benefit either online or by calling 1 (800) 959-2019.
Quebec delays restart date for retail stores in Montreal
As a result of the high number of COVID-19 cases and related hospitalizations in the Montreal area, the reopening of non-essential stores in the Montreal area has been pushed back to May 18, Quebec Premier Francois Legault announced Monday.
The region’s schools are still set to reopen as planned, however.
Non-essential stores in the rest of Quebec started reopening Monday. Manufacturing and construction, two other industries that are set to reopen in the Montreal area May 11, will do so as scheduled, Legault added.
Elementary schools in the Montreal area are also still scheduled to reopen as planned on May 19. Elementary schools in the rest of the province are due to reopen May 11.
Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec lifting some restrictions
Ontario took its first steps Monday with the reopening of some businesses, including lawn care and landscaping, garden centres for curbside pickup, automatic and self-serve car washes, auto dealerships by appointment, and many construction projects.
Manitobans can now visit everything from hair salons to museums to restaurant patios (with fewer seats than normal) provided everyone is following public health rules.
In most of Saskatchewan, non-urgent medical offices are allowed to reopen and rules around some outdoor activities — including fishing and boating — are being loosened.
Newfoundland and Labrador plans to move to alert Level 4 on May 11, meaning a relaxation of some public health measures to allow more social and business activities.
Alberta took its first strides toward the large-scale resumption of public life as provincial parks and golf courses opened under the government’s phased economic relaunch. Alberta began to ease some public health restrictions on Friday, with provincial parks and boat launches reopening with limited services. Alberta has three stage plan starting May 14 called Opening Soon: Alberta’s Relaunch Strategy.