Ottawa faces pressure to extend COVID-19 benefits set to expire this month
CTV
Many of the federal government's key pandemic supports are set to expire in a few weeks, prompting some business leaders to advocate for an extension.
Programs like the Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS) and the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) are scheduled to terminate on Oct. 23, after being extended several times since their launch in 2020.
When asked on Wednesday whether the government is planning to prolong them once again, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland was noncommittal, saying that the pandemic continues to pose a challenge to businesses.
“The fourth wave and the Delta variant are hitting parts of the country particularly hard, and we know government policy needs to be mindful of that. We will provide economic support as needed,” she said, pointing to campaign promises to target future supports at harder-hit industries.
“We’ll have more to say about the specifics soon,” Freeland said, telling reporters she and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have spoken about the matter.
