A new financial-assistance package for 91原创s losing income because of COVID-19 doesn鈥檛 address the needs of those who will suffer most from the financial fallout, says an anti-poverty advocate.
The changes announced Wednesday will help 91原创s who wouldn鈥檛 normally qualify for employment insurance, such as contract workers and people who are self-employed.
But it鈥檚 low-wage workers living paycheque to paycheque who lose their jobs and would normally qualify for EI who will be struggling to pay rent in a couple of weeks, said Isabelle Dehler-Hyde, an employment specialist at Together Against Poverty Society.
Changes have already been made to waive the mandatory one-week period before applicants are eligible for employment-insurance benefits for people who are sick or in quarantine, but that doesn鈥檛 apply for people who have simply lost their jobs or can鈥檛 work while they鈥檙e self-isolating.
鈥淎ll these folks who are getting laid off suddenly have to make up for losing a week鈥檚 worth of wages and then are going to go on EI benefits that are almost half as much as their regular wage. So it鈥檚 a huge financial hit.鈥�
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Wednesday $82 billion in financial assistance aimed at helping 91原创s pay their rent or mortgage and buy groceries during the COVID-19 pandemic. An estimated $55 billion is in the form of deferred tax payments, leaving $27 billion in direct spending to individuals and businesses.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to discount the changes that have come because they鈥檙e really great, making sure all these folks that wouldn鈥檛 have been eligible are going to receive benefits,鈥� Dehler-Hyde said.
But she wants to see more assistance for those at the lower end of the income spectrum who are worried about keeping a roof over their heads and meeting their basic needs.
Together Against Poverty Society has called for a temporary halt on evictions while the country copes with the threat of COVID-19.
Emily Rogers, the society鈥檚 tenant advocate, said ensuring people can stay in their homes is important not only for individuals but for public health, as many people need to self-isolate at home.
鈥淭his is sound public policy from both an economic justice and public-health perspective,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he government must immediately reassure thousands of British Columbians who are losing their income that they will not also be losing their home.鈥�
Trudeau鈥檚 announcement touched on mortgage-payment deferrals for 91原创s experiencing financial difficulty as a result of the virus, but didn鈥檛 impose a moratorium on evictions for renters.
The federal financial-aid package will beef up Canada Child Benefit payments for families and GST tax credits for low- and middle-income earners, provide a wage subsidy for small businesses to help them keep staff on the payroll during the slowdown, pause Canada Student Loan payments for six months and provide emergency benefits for people who don鈥檛 qualify for employment insurance.
Accessing the assistance is another challenge.
One Victoria resident, who did not want her name used, lost her job Monday at a company that sells tickets to events, which have all been cancelled due to the pandemic.
She has been trying to reach someone at the employment-insurance office, but on the phone she has met with an automated message that says the lines are overwhelmed.
鈥淓very time you call EI, they鈥檙e full to the point where the automated message now says: 鈥榃e can鈥檛 answer your question today. Try tomorrow,鈥� 鈥� she said.
She went to an office in Victoria on Wednesday, but when she arrived at 10:30 a.m., she was already too late: The line of people waiting had reached the office鈥檚 capacity for the day, and she was told they wouldn鈥檛 be able to answer her questions.
鈥淚鈥檓 very overwhelmed. I鈥檓 stressing out a lot about how I鈥檓 going to pay rent, like what if this thing takes so long that I don鈥檛 get to pay rent,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 super-paranoid of being homeless.鈥�
regan[email protected]
鈥� With a file from The 91原创 Press
EI phone numbers
For people accessing EI who are sick with COVID-19 or in quarantine: 1-833-381-2725. For all others: 1-800-206-7218.
