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Results: 46 - 60 of 79
View Ryan Turnbull Profile
Lib. (ON)
View Ryan Turnbull Profile
2020-06-12 14:39
I'd like to ask you a follow-up question about that.
We also announced new eligibility criteria for the Canada student loans program and a doubling of the Canada student grant. Do you think that's going to have an impact on helping students go back, re-enrol and pay for that tuition in the fall?
Babacar Faye
View Babacar Faye Profile
Babacar Faye
2020-06-12 14:40
Absolutely, I think that would have an important impact. We have to ensure that is available but also that there's an equivalent or [Technical difficulty—Editor] that the amount of government aid in student loans for Canadian students is sufficient.
There is a need, I believe, for more support when it comes to just the other factors that might surround it and that might apply but might not be considered when it comes to our students. We typically have a narrow field, to use those words, when it comes to students, and we usually have the perception that students only have tuition fees to worry about. We need to expand that to consider that a lot of students also have living standards to uphold. We need to be looking at the entire cost of living for students.
We could look at promoting and pushing for a more complete approach when it comes to providing, first of all, accessibility for learning materials and other tools that may aid students in learning, but also look at rent and the ability to find places to rent. We also need to be looking beyond domestic students to international students, who don't apply for that help and don't receive that aid, and who don't apply, for example—
Bryn de Chastelain
View Bryn de Chastelain Profile
Bryn de Chastelain
2020-06-12 15:14
Good afternoon, Mr. Chair, esteemed committee members and fellow witnesses. I would like to begin my statement by acknowledging that I speak to you today from Mi'kma'ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi'kmaq people.
My name is Bryn de Chastelain. I am the chair of the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations, or CASA. I am also president of the Saint Mary's University Students' Association and a fourth-year student pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in political science and economics.
CASA is a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization that represents over 275,000 students at colleges, polytechnics and universities from coast to coast. Through a formal partnership with the Union étudiante du Québec, with which I will be sharing time today, we are a trusted national student voice.
CASA has been at the forefront of student advocacy efforts throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. We've been clear that students, like other Canadians, have been hit hard by the pandemic's economic and social impacts. At a uniquely vulnerable point in their lives, students have been blindsided by lost income, online classes, a summer of isolation and bleak job prospects following graduation.
Thankfully, on April 22, the federal government responded to our calls for support with a generous and significant student aid package. As a student leader, I would like to express my gratitude for this immediate and considerable support, which was extraordinarily necessary in these unprecedented times. Many students are now seeing immediate support from either the Canada emergency response benefit or the Canada emergency student benefit, which together are providing an irreplaceable stopgap for students. These benefits are helping students to keep food on the table and a roof over their heads, and we thank you for that.
I would also like to highlight the generous additions to both the Canada student grants and the Canada student loans, which were also announced on April 22. These improvements will help ensure that many students in Canada can continue to access and afford their education despite COVID-19-related hardship. These supports are welcomed by students across Canada, but not everybody has access to them.
I would particularly like to highlight the lack of support available for international students during this quarantine period. Let's not forget that international students in Canada contribute an estimated $21.6 billion to Canada's GDP and support almost 170,000 jobs. On top of that, many international students in Canada plan to stay and contribute to our economy once they have graduated. According to the Canadian Bureau for International Education, 60% of international students in Canada plan to apply for permanent residency once they graduate from school. Many also continue to live and work in Canada over the summer between semesters, and the COVID-19 pandemic has robbed them of their opportunity to support themselves.
These international students are stuck in Canada with no job prospects, with groceries and rent to pay for, and with little financial support from the federal government. As it stands, international students are ineligible for the Canada emergency student benefit, meaning that those who have made less than $5,000 in the past year are left without access to desperately needed assistance. The Canada emergency response benefit is available to international students, but the Canada emergency student benefit is not, and we see that as fundamentally unfair. Many international students cannot work while in school and have lost the opportunity to do so over the summer. They need support, and we're asking the federal government to leave no student in Canada behind.
Now, despite this gap surrounding international students, CASA is strongly supportive of the federal government's overall student aid efforts thus far. Looking forward, however, we at CASA are hearing that students are still very worried about their finances and their health, as well as the quality and accessibility of the upcoming digital semester. According to a recent poll that we at CASA commissioned, 77% of students in Canada report being considerably stressed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. We're stressed about what the pandemic means for our future, about the health of our loved ones and about finding employment after graduation.
Students are reporting significant financial hardship despite the relief provided by the CERB and the CESB. Close to 70% of students in Canada say their summer employment plans have been negatively affected by COVID-19. Of that 70%, four in 10 say they've lost all of their regular summer income due to the pandemic, while 43% say they will be relying more on government loans to pay for the upcoming school year, and 59% say they are just as worried about covering their living expenses in January as they are today.
Students are seeing real financial hardship on the horizon, and that's why CASA is calling on the government to consider additional support for students beyond September 2020. Specifically, we are asking the government to extend the six-month interest-free moratorium on federal student loan payments past September 30, 2020.
Now, beyond financial concerns, CASA is also hearing that many students are second-guessing whether school in the fall is even worth it, given the less-than-ideal digital environment. Our data tells us that 39% of students have considered deferring or have already deferred their fall semester. Along with this, 31% have also considered switching or have already switched from full-time to part-time studies.
Students are rightly worried about the quality and accessibility of their classes in the fall, and we think the federal government can do more to ensure that our next semester is a success.
According to the CRTC, only 64% of rural residents have access to broadband Internet fast enough to sustainably access the kind of video conferencing applications used for online learning, compared to 100% of urban residents. The OECD also ranks Canada in the top 10 of the most expensive countries for broadband Internet access when adjusted for cost of living.
In the 2019 election, the Liberals promised to ensure that every Canadian would have access to high-speed Internet by 2030. CASA urges the federal government to accelerate this timeline and move forward with immediate steps to ensure that all post-secondary students have adequate access to reliable and high-speed Internet in time for school this fall.
Finally, we know that success in a digital classroom hinges on having the suitable technology to succeed. Digital learning, while necessary during the COVID-19 pandemic, will place the burden of possessing sufficient technology, like computers, on post-secondary students. According to our polling, almost 50% of students in Canada highlighted having the technology they need as a primary concern entering next semester.
That's why we're also calling on the federal government to ensure that all students have sufficient access to digital technology. Specifically, we're asking the government to commit additional funding to provide appropriate digital technology to any low-income student who needs it.
I would like to thank the committee once again for the invitation to come and testify and represent the voice of Canadian students.
I will now turn the floor over to my colleague Jade Marcil of the Quebec Student Union, and I look forward to answering your questions.
View Raquel Dancho Profile
CPC (MB)
Thank you for that.
My second question concerns financial aid for students. Many students are, of course, supported by their parents in university, but also, in addition to that, they access government student loans, which, if my memory serves me correctly, depend on the parents' earnings from the year prior. Of course, as was mentioned, many parents have taken a serious hit to their income this year. If the students weren't eligible last year because of their parents' income, it may not be the same this year going into the fall semester.
Do you anticipate there will be a significant impact on fall enrolment because of the lack of parental support or the lack of eligibility for student loans?
Mackenzy Metcalfe
View Mackenzy Metcalfe Profile
Mackenzy Metcalfe
2020-06-12 15:33
I do expect that many students will very seriously reconsider attending post-secondary education because of the costs. That is one of the reasons we are asking for students' expected income and spouses' contributions to also be waived in the 2021-22 academic year. When you apply for programs like OSAP in Ontario, you have to declare your parents' income, and those are for tax years that would not have been impacted by COVID-19.
Matthew Gerrits
View Matthew Gerrits Profile
Matthew Gerrits
2020-05-11 17:18
Thank you, Ms. Town.
Through the chair, thank you to the committee. It is an honour to be here today. WUSA is one of nine members of Undergraduates of Canadian Research-Intensive Universities, or UCRU, which represents over 250,000 students across Canada. Last month, I had the privilege to work on a report drafted by UCRU that detailed our members' concerns about financial situations and recommendations for student support in response to COVID-19. I will detail some of my thoughts here today on the government's response where Ms. Town has not already covered them.
We have heard concerns from one of our member institutions about support for indigenous students, and we are hoping more information will be made available to provide clarity to them about what supports might be available. Currently, it is unclear to students whether support programs for indigenous students are complementary to the CESB or whether they are exclusive. More information about this and other programs, including the Canada student service grant, will be key as students plan out their summer.
Students are also concerned about the rising cost of tuition, especially as post-secondary programs are administered online. Years of decreases to public funding of post-secondary education by provincial governments has led to an increased financial vulnerability of institutions to drops of enrolment, especially international enrolment, a condition that we fear this crisis may bring. The vulnerable institutions are diverse in size and in geography. Therefore, we ask that the federal government collaborate with the leadership of post-secondary institutions, as well as provincial ministers of higher education, to explore what role the federal government may play to ensure universities' finances can weather this pandemic.
Students are concerned about being able to afford to continue school in September. For that reason we’d also like to mention that we see the increases to the Canada student grant program as stepping into that gap for most students in need, and we are incredibly grateful that these increases were included in the student aid package. However, student aid usually uses the previous year’s tax data, which may not account for how the income of a student’s parents or guardians may have been affected by COVID-19. We ask the government to investigate how to account for this in the fall 2020 Canada student grant disbursements.
Finally, an area of concern is with regard to eligibility requirements, which prevent students from accessing CESB if they have income even slightly in excess of $1,000 per month. In the event that CESB must be extended, which we hope will not be required, we suggest the government investigate a phase-out of the benefit for students earning above $1,000 in a more gradual fashion, while holding steady or increasing the $1,250 base amount.
On behalf of UCRU, I would like to convey our thanks for the government’s action, which we understand to be the largest one-time financial investment in student aid in history and proportional to the crisis that students face. We also hope that action can be taken on these outstanding priorities of international student inclusion, efficient and timely rollout, clear communication of information and coordination to support our post-secondary institutions. We have also provided some additional detail in our joint brief, which is still under translation and will be distributed to members in the coming days.
Thank you very much for your parliamentary service during this time, and for listening to students’ concerns. Both Ms. Town and I look forward to your questions.
View Carla Qualtrough Profile
Lib. (BC)
Mr. Chair, I apologize. My remarks are in both languages, back and forth. I'm going to do my best to just do English, so please indulge me.
Hello, everyone. I'm pleased to join you today to speak about the measures to support Canadians during the COVID-19 pandemic as they pertain to my current portfolio.
Before I begin, I'd like to thank the committee for your study on our government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Your work is truly essential to our democratic process.
It's been nearly two months now that Canadians have been adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic gripping our country and the world. To give you a sense of the scope of the need, I can tell you that we've received 11.38 million applications, of which we have processed 11.29 million applications under the Canada emergency response benefit, both through Service Canada and through the CRA. A total of $30.48 billion in payments have been made to 7.83 million people.
The CERB was created to come to the aid of Canadians during these unprecedented circumstances. In reality, our EI system was not built for the situation of a global pandemic. It doesn't cover all the different situations in which Canadians find themselves in this time of a public health crisis. Service Canada and CRA stepped up, formed a team, and in the space of a couple of weeks elaborated and put into place a system that really responded to Canadians' needs. For eligible workers, the CERB provides temporary income support of $500 a week for up to 16 weeks. It applies to workers who have stopped working for reasons related to COVID-19. It also supports working parents who are staying home to care for children because of school and day care closures.
We've made extraordinary efforts to make this emergency benefit as inclusive as possible. Workers, including the self-employed, can earn up to $1,000 per month while collecting the benefit. The benefit also applies to workers who've recently exhausted their regular EI benefit payments and aren't able to start working again because of COVID-19. This helps many seasonal workers, including fishers and those in the tourism industry, who may not have had their usual seasonal work to return to as a result of COVID-19.
Now I'll say a word about supporting temporary foreign workers and ensuring Canada's food supply.
The COVID-19 pandemic has made it difficult to bring in the needed temporary foreign workers. That's why we've made modifications to our temporary foreign worker program to try to add some flexibility to the system. I want to emphasize that there are definitely jobs available for Canadians in the areas that are also supported by temporary foreign workers, as has been the case historically.
I'll now say a word about students and youth.
We've announced comprehensive support for post-secondary students and recent graduates, representing an investment of approximately $9 billion. As part of that support, we introduced a four-month Canada emergency student benefit. Students who are not receiving the CERB and meet the criteria for this new benefit will be able to apply to receive $1,250 per month between May and August. Students with permanent disabilities and students with dependants could receive an additional $750 per month.
We've heard a lot in the past few weeks about how these payments might disincentivize students to work. Well, that's not what we've heard from young people across the country. We've heard very clearly from students that they want to work and serve in their communities in this time of crisis. That's why we also announced the creation of 76,000 additional jobs and training opportunities, including jobs in the agriculture and processing sectors, through mechanisms such as our youth employment and skills strategy program. This is on top of the 70,000 jobs that will be available through the Canada summer jobs program, with greater flexibility for employers to hire young people this summer and through the fall.
Other important measures to help students during the COVID-19 pandemic are changes to the Canada student loans program. These changes will expand eligibility, increase the weekly cap and double the value of our grants. These new measures came in addition to earlier measures to pause the repayment of student and apprentice loans, interest-free, until September 30, 2020.
Mr. Chair, we've taken these measures with the goal of helping Canadians and supporting our economy. As the situation evolves, my colleagues in cabinet and I will be ready to respond to whatever Canadians need.
I'm available now for questions.
View Lindsay Mathyssen Profile
NDP (ON)
Mr. Chair, I would like to present this e-petition. One of my young constituents, Haley Odegaard, presented this to me. I think it's timely considering just last week we were talking a lot about students in the House, and I hope we continue to talk about how we're going to help them.
This petition is in regard to the fact that over half of Canadian post-secondary students graduate with student loan debt. She indicates, and all the petitioners indicate, that millennials now account for 20% of Canada's population, and many aren't able to purchase homes, get married or have children due to this financial burden. An educated workforce is an advantage that should be viewed as an investment in our future, and higher education should be encouraged and not penalized.
The petitioners call on the Prime Minister and the government to eliminate interest on all outstanding and future federal student loans.
View Richard Martel Profile
CPC (QC)
Mr. Chair, it's an honour to sit in the House today and voice the concerns of the people of Chicoutimi—Le Fjord in these uncertain times.
Parliament never closed down before. This is a first. With the nation in crisis, Canadians looked to their leaders. Sadly, for several weeks, we were at an impasse with the government, and we couldn't move forward on the issues that matter to them.
I went through this as a coach. It's not easy to innovate and improve when you're surrounded by people who think exactly the same way you do. That's why we fought so hard to be here. We would have preferred to meet several times a week, but we'll take what we can get.
During question period, I raised several issues that affect both individuals and businesses. I realize these are exceptional circumstances, that we're all moving forward together in uncertainty, and that the government is doing its best to help people in need. However, I would like the government to co-operate more with the Conservative opposition, because I believe we could all contribute to finding positive solutions to the COVID-19 crisis. The government would do well to work with us for the good of Canadians without wasting parliamentarians' time on partisan issues like controlling law-abiding gun owners.
That being said, in the spirit of collaboration, I want to highlight certain problems with the government's usual programs. We hope to enhance these programs to help a larger number of Canadians. I think that parliamentarians could be the government's greatest allies in the fight against COVID-19. We're the ones who listen to the problems brought to us by individuals and businesses and help them find solutions.
At Service Canada, measures have been taken to better support us as parliamentarians. At the Canada Revenue Agency, it's a little harder, not least because the parliamentary line has been shut down. Right now, people are falling through the cracks, and we're the only ones who can help. We realize that the government is announcing programs quickly, without necessarily having all the details, in order to respond as fast as possible. However, many Canadians are being left behind.
I know that our public servants are working very hard these days, but I think they should have the right to interpret vague regulations somewhat broadly. For instance, I'm thinking of people who were forced to apply for EI because of the rail blockades and people with above-average foresight who self-isolated before March 15. Unlike most people, they're not eligible for the CERB.
With regard to help for individuals, I'm shocked that the government provided such generous support for students, the very people who work for our essential services during the summer. They're the least vulnerable to COVID-19, yet they're the ones getting the most encouragement to stay home. The government is pandering to the lowest common denominator instead of incentivizing work. It's clear that certain businesses will struggle and won't be able to rehire their usual staff. We absolutely need to add an incentive to work. For instance, why not offer more loans and grants to those who choose to work this summer? That's the kind of policy that will minimize aid for youth and reward those who worked on our farms, in our businesses or even in front-line health care.
I would also urge the government to work with the provinces to increase support for seniors during COVID-19. Seniors are in forced isolation and are the most vulnerable to this virus. Many are being forced to buy electronic devices, get Internet installed to stay connected with their families, and do their grocery shopping online for their own safety. This crisis is increasing their expenses. Will any help be planned for them?
Now I'll turn to businesses. The Canada emergency business account is a good program, but it's far too restrictive. Why doesn't this program do anything to help start-ups that are newly established, businesses that unfortunately didn't have time to spend $20,000 on payroll this year, businesses run with a personal chequing account, businesses whose employees are issued T4As or are on service contracts, or businesses that pay themselves in dividends or revenue sharing? There are many different ways to run a business in Canada. I'm sure the Minister of Finance is aware of that.
Many businesses are falling through the cracks, even though it would be easy to provide them with a $40,000 repayable loan. It wouldn't be hard to improve the program. This program could be the difference between surviving or not for some businesses.
Speaking of businesses surviving, many of them were hoping to get the emergency wage subsidy to keep their employees on the job and keep our economy going. I see two huge gaps in this program.
First of all, why are non-arm's length businesses not eligible for this assistance? That makes no sense. The government is literally interfering in the management of Canadian businesses. Whether they're arm's length or not, they need help.
Second, for non-arm's length employees, they're being asked to look at the average earnings between January 2020 and March 2020. Many businesses in the tourism sector, including campgrounds for instance, have lots of seasonal workers who don't work between January and March. Under this rule, they won't get any wage subsidy.
As a final point, I'm a little puzzled by the emergency commercial rent assistance. Why is it that the government thinks it can interfere in the lease between two businesses and force landlords to accept a 25% rent reduction? The government is playing a dangerous game. It should either help tenants with 50% or 75% of the rent, or provide loans to landlords until their tenants can pay their rent again. However, forcing landlords to lower rents completely undermines the rule of law. This could be a very slippery slope. I therefore urge the government to approach this with caution and review the program's structure.
I really hope the Liberal government will consider my suggestions. After all, the issues I've raised here are not unique to Chicoutimi—Le Fjord; they exist across the country. Although this is the right thing to do, these programs will be enormously expensive for Canada, and we can't afford to pass this debt on to future generations. Already our tax system isn't very competitive compared to the rest of North America. Our tax system is cumbersome and inefficient. I would therefore caution the government against raising taxes in any way that would further squeeze Canadians and hurt our economic recovery.
In terms of a recovery plan, I urge the Liberal government to expedite infrastructure projects, to make it easier to invest in Canada and, most importantly, to support the private sector natural resource development projects worth around $200 billion that are currently being studied in Canada, such as the GNL Québec project in my riding.
Before the COVID-19 crisis struck, GNL Québec enjoyed around 68% support in the Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean region. This major green project will be ready for construction in 2021 and will definitely give the Canadian economy a boost.
In my region, we've been less affected by COVID-19, as everyone has been reviewing their hygiene practices. This is a perfect opportunity to decentralize investments in large urban centres and move them towards the regions. With programs that are more flexible and better suited to rural realities, the regions could take a leadership role in Canada's economic recovery.
If another wave of this or another health crisis were to strike one day, the regions, which tend to be more isolated, could help ensure a strong economy if the urban centres have to come to a standstill. I therefore urge the government to be bold and support investment in the regions. That is how we'll be able to reach our full economic potential and quickly pay down the enormous debt weighing down our country.
The COVID-19 crisis is unlike anything we have ever seen in the 21st century. We understand that the government is in a difficult situation. Today I want to reach out to the government and encourage it to remain open and flexible and consider some of the proposals I've suggested. I am confident this would help many people and many businesses, and that these recovery plans would help the country get back on track quickly.
Thank you for the opportunity to speak in this debate. It was a privilege to share my constituents' concerns at this historic time.
View Carla Qualtrough Profile
Lib. (BC)
Thank you very much, and thank you to all committee members for being here.
I am pleased to join you today to give you an update on measures taken to address the COVID-19 pandemic as they pertain to my portfolio.
Thank you for permitting me to participate by telephone. I've been having some challenges integrating my accessibility software with virtual meeting software, which means I can't always read what's on my screen when I'm in a meeting. It's sometimes doable, but not when I need to manage documents and participate meaningfully, so thank you very much.
I'm accompanied here today by the ESDC officials you have already been hearing from. I understand Graham, Lori and Benoît are with us.
Before I begin, I would like to thank the committee for its study on the government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Your work is essential in our democratic process.
It has been some time now that Canadians have been adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic gripping our country and the world. During that time, Service Canada and CRA employees have expended a monumental effort to respond to this crisis.
To give you a sense of the scope of this effort, we need to look no further than the 13.4 million payments made to date under EI and the Canada emergency response benefit. This figure is a reflection of the real need of Canadians during this time and our staff’s dedication to public service and our country.
Let me tell you a little more about the Canada emergency response benefit.
The CERB was created to assist Canadians in unprecedented circumstances. Our employment insurance program was really not designed to respond to a global pandemic. It does not cover all the situations that our workers are facing during this public health crisis.
Service Canada and the Canada Revenue Agency therefore formed a team and, in a few weeks, they developed and implemented a simple, quick approach to applications. They are now quickly and efficiently paying out the Canada emergency response benefits to Canadians each day.
For eligible Canadian workers, the CERB provides temporary income support of $500 a week for up to 16 weeks. It applies to workers who have stopped working for reasons related to COVID-19. It also supports working parents who are staying home to care for children because of school and day care closures.
However, when we launched the benefit on April 6, some Canadian workers expressed concern about eligibility. We listened and on April 15 made it more inclusive.
Now, workers, including the self-employed, can earn up to $1,000 per month while collecting the benefit. The benefit also now applies to workers who’ve recently exhausted their EI regular benefit payments and are unable to start working again because of COVID-19. This helps many seasonal workers, including fishers and those in the tourism industry, who may not have their usual seasonal work to return to as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.
I understand that some Canadian workers who are eligible for the CERB and who are going on maternity leave in a few weeks or months have questions with regard to how their claims have been processed. We are in the process of reconciling these cases and will make sure that no one is disadvantaged and that everyone has access to their proper maternity benefit entitlements when they need them.
Before going on, I'll quickly share the latest CERB numbers. As of April 23, we have received 9.65 million applications from 7.12 million people. We have processed 9.51 million of these applications which, by my math, equals about 98.5% of applications having been processed. The total amount of payments made is $22.4 billion.
I mentioned seasonal workers, and I’d like now to speak about temporary foreign workers and Canada’s food supply. Temporary foreign workers have been integral to Canada’s food production since the 1960s.
For example, last year approximately 60,000 temporary foreign workers came to Canada to work in agriculture and food-processing jobs, but the COVID-19 pandemic has made it harder to bring in the workers needed to meet Canada’s food security needs. In response, we have implemented emergency changes to the temporary foreign worker program to make it easier and faster for employers to hire and retain these workers.
In the meantime, we're also working closely with provinces and territories, employers, foreign governments and other stakeholders to safeguard the health of workers and of all Canadians. This includes regulatory amendments, which came into force on April 20 and which are now being enforced through inspections by Service Canada compliance officers.
It is also true that, although temporary foreign workers are an integral part of our economy, many Canadians are now without work. I would like to assure members of the committee that there are still jobs for Canadians who want to work in the agriculture and agri-food sector. With our partners, we are currently trying to find ways to better communicate these employment possibilities to Canadians.
I'll have a word now about students and youth.
Our government is committed to providing targeted support for individuals and vulnerable groups, such as students. That is why we announced comprehensive support for post-secondary students and recent graduates, representing an investment of approximately $9 billion.
Young people are facing a serious set of challenges in this difficult time, be it interrupted studies, reduced work opportunities, or disruptions to summer co-op or internship plans. Many of Canada’s post-secondary students are worried about how they will be able to afford tuition, food and rent if they can’t find summer work. That’s why our government is introducing a four-month Canada emergency student benefit. Students who are not eligible for the CERB and meet the criteria for this new benefit will be able to apply to receive $1,250 per month between May and August. Students with disabilities and students with dependants could receive an additional $500 per month. This benefit is designed to reach the vast majority of existing and newly graduated post-secondary students.
In addition, we are expanding eligibility for the Canada student loans program for September. We are also doubling the value of Canada student grants and increasing the cap on Canada student loans from $210 to $350 per week of study.
I understand that many young Canadians will be anxious about their job prospects this summer and that they will be looking for opportunities in healthy and safe work environments. The temporary changes that we recently announced to the Canada summer jobs program are only the beginning.
Earlier this week, we announced that we will expand existing federal employment programs to create up to 76,000 jobs, placements and other training opportunities to help students find employment and develop valuable skills this summer and over the coming months. This includes expanding the student work placement program by creating more paid work placements across critical service sectors like health care, food and agri-food, retail and e-commerce.
We're also introducing flexibilities to the youth employment and skills strategy, creating placements for young Canadians in critical sectors, such as community service.
We're investing in bringing important wraparound services online through the support for student learning program, and services like mentoring and tutoring for vulnerable young people to make sure they are not further marginalized by COVID-19.
We believe these measures and others made as part of Canada's COVID-19 economic response plan will help young people weather the negative economic impacts of the pandemic while ensuring their health and safety.
Finally, I'd like to speak about what our government is doing to address the concerns of persons with disabilities during this pandemic.
We recognize that some groups are significantly and disproportionately impacted by this crisis. For some Canadians with disabilities, underlying medical conditions put them at greater risk of serious complications related to COVID-19. Others face discrimination and barriers in accessing information, social services and health care.
On April 10, I released a statement outlining our government's unequivocal commitment to the rights of every citizen and the value of every life, including the right to equal access to medical treatment and care. This is in keeping with our commitment to Nothing Without Us and in line with the principles and objectives of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Accessible Canada Act.
In addition, in this same spirit and to support Canadians with disabilities, we established the COVID-19 disability advisory group. This group is offering advice to the government on real-time, lived experiences of persons with disabilities during this crisis. Areas of particular focus are equality of access to health care and support, access to information and communications, mental health and social isolation, and employment and income support.
My Cabinet colleagues and I are ready to take other steps to protect Canadians and the economy. This means continuing to support workers and businesses now and in the coming transition back to the normal operation of the economy, as soon as that happens.
I'd now be happy to take your questions.
View Bill Morneau Profile
Lib. (ON)
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I understand I'm here until 2:40 and I'm looking forward to answering questions.
All of us know that COVID-19 is causing unprecedented disruption to the economy here at home and around the world. This is a crisis unlike any we've ever faced before. The outbreak of the disease is rapidly evolving, and we know that the government's ability to respond must be equally rapid.
On March 18, the Prime Minister presented Canada's COVID-19 economic response plan. This comprehensive and continually evolving plan is designed to protect Canadian workers and businesses and to ensure that our economy can weather the storm and emerge strong.
To date we've announced the following programs in Canada's COVID-19 economic response plan.
To begin with, yesterday we announced details on the proposed Canada emergency wage subsidy. We know that taking action to protect a strong economy includes taking action to protect Canadian jobs. The subsidy will provide employers who see a 30% or more decline in gross revenue since this time last year with a wage subsidy of 75% for the first $58,700 of normal salary. That goes up to a maximum of $847 a week per employee.
It's available to employers, big and small. It includes non-profits and charities, any of those kinds of organizations, that meet the same eligibility requirements.
We also, as I think you know, have the 10% wage subsidy program, which will provide eligible employers with up to $1,375 per employee and $25,000 per employer.
However, the government acknowledges that, despite this, many Canadians will no longer be earning an income as a result of COVID-19. To ensure that all Canadians can pay for their groceries, housing and necessary medication, we announced the implementation of the new Canada emergency response benefit, or CERB.
This benefit will be provided to Canadian workers who lose all their income as a result of COVID-19. The benefit is for workers who are eligible and for workers who aren't eligible for employment insurance. If a worker is sick, is asked to self-isolate, is caring for an elderly relative, or isn't receiving any wages because they're looking after young children as a result of school or day care closures in response to COVID-19, the worker will be eligible. The CERB also applies to workers on leave without pay, which helps maintain the link between the employer and employee. The CERB is a taxable benefit of $500 per week for up to 16 weeks.
For small businesses and non-profits, we introduced the Canada emergency business account, which will provide interest-free loans of up to $40,000 for small businesses and non-profits, with 25% of it forgivable if paid back by December 31, 2022.
We also launched the new small and medium-sized enterprise loan and guarantee program, which will enable up to $40 billion in lending, supported through Export Development Canada and the Business Development Bank, for guaranteed loans through financial institutions to help small and medium-sized enterprises meet their operational cash flow requirements.
We also announced tax and customs duty deferral measures. Income taxes will not be due until August 31, 2020. In addition, GST and HST remittances and customs duty payments due at the end of March, April or May can now be deferred until the end of June.
We're also supporting families through a one-time top-up of the Canada child benefit of $300 per child this May. For the 12 million families who need it the most, we're making a supplementary GST credit payment, starting on April 9.
We're helping seniors by protecting their savings by reducing the minimum withdrawal from their RRIFs by 25%. To support students and recent grads, effective this past Monday, we put in place an automatic six-month moratorium on Canada student loan repayments.
We're also making sure there is support for those who may need it the most in this challenging time. We've created a distinctions-based indigenous community support fund that will address the immediate needs of first nations, Inuit and Métis nation communities. We have also invested over $200 million to support shelters for women, for children and for Canadians experiencing homelessness.
We're experiencing an unprecedented crisis. We've taken unprecedented action by establishing emergency assistance on a scale that the country has never seen. This is the largest economic program in Canadian history.
We know that Canadians need support urgently, and our government is using all the tools necessary to make sure we can protect Canadians' health and keep our economy strong. These measures are keeping food on Canadians' tables. They're keeping businesses intact, restoring Canadians' confidence, preserving communities' resilience and making sure, importantly, that when this crisis passes—and it will pass—Canadian workers and businesses will be ready to bounce back.
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair, and I am looking forward to the questions.
View Julie Vignola Profile
BQ (QC)
Mr. Duclos, I have noticed in the budget that just over 33,000 students debts would be written off and that there was a $230-million increase for loans and another $125-million increase for grants, or vice versa. Since you are familiar with my party, my question will not surprise you.
Among those 33,000 written off debts and those millions of dollars provided for loans and grants, what proportion will go to Quebec?
View Jean-Yves Duclos Profile
Lib. (QC)
This is very important because, as we know very well, not only students in Canada are experiencing a difficult economic situation that is often very dire, but we need them and their investments in their human capital to continue to grow the economy while growing the middle class.
In Quebec, we are very aware of that and have a loans and grants program that is separate from the Canadian government's program. Here is how it works. The Canadian government announces, as in this case, substantial investments to improve students' quality of life and their investments in their human capital. Part of that budget is allocated to the Government of Quebec, and we expect it to reinvest it in programs for students.
For your information, Mrs. Vignola, our student associations in Quebec also need to know how students in Quebec will be supported through those federal investments. We know that we can count on the Quebec government to provide that response because we know that it is even more important to take care of our students in Quebec.
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