Update: Income supports for municipal employees

COMMUNIQUÉ

April 2, 2020

Update: Income supports for municipal employees

FCM Members,

Yesterday, the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance announced further details of the new Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy. This program will provide wage subsidies of up to 75 percent to help qualifying employers retain and pay workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

While this will provide critical support to many of our local businesses, yesterday’s announcement confirmed that publicly funded employers—including governments and Crown corporations—are not eligible for this new wage subsidy.

In the immediate term, available income support options include:

• Public sector employees are eligible to apply for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB). It provides $2,000 monthly for qualifying Canadians—including those who have lost their job due to COVID-19, are sick or quarantined, or who must stay home to care for dependents.
• Provinces continue to announce new income supports (direct and through employers) for workers who have lost significant income due to COVID-19. Consult FCM’s COVID-19 resources page for a list of known programs.

In every part of this country, local leaders are taking urgent steps to keep people safe, protect essential services, maintain business operations, and support local residents and businesses. To continue this vital work, municipalities require immediate, direct financial support from provincial and federal governments.

FCM is working at full steam to convey local priorities directly to key federal decision-makers. Those include municipalities’ urgent financial needs and pressures resulting from COVID-19—as both employers and providers of essential community services.

We will continue to keep you updated, and we honour your incredible efforts on the ground.

Bill Karsten FCM President