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Prime Minister Outlines Canada’s COVID-19 Response
Thursday, March 12, 2020
COVID-19 is a rapidly evolving global challenge. The Government of Canada is working closely with local, provincial, territorial, and international partners to minimize its health, economic, and social impacts in Canada and around the world. The government has worked closely with Canada’s trained public health and medical professionals to put in place the plans, infrastructure, and resources needed to protect the health and safety of all Canadians.
The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, outlined Canada’s whole-of-government response to COVID-19, by establishing a more than $1 billion COVID-19 Response Fund. This comprehensive approach includes measures already underway to respond to the outbreak, as well as new investments to limit the spread of the virus in Canada and prepare for its possible broader impacts on people, the economy, and small businesses.
Part of this response includes measures to "support to workers in quarantine or who have been directed to self-isolate who will claim Employment Insurance (EI) sickness benefits by waiving the mandatory one-week waiting period so they can be paid for the first week of their claim. [...] exploring additional measures to support other affected Canadians, including income support for those who are not eligible for EI sickness benefits."
You can read more about the Prime Minister's announcement about COVID-19 on the government's website. For more information regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, the Public Health Agency of Canada has up-to-date information in English and in French.