Ottawa: Legislation to establish the Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB), has been introduced in Parliament. CESB would provide income support to post-secondary students who lost work opportunities due to Covid-19.
Through the CESB, students who are not receiving the Canada Emergency Response Benefit would receive $1,250 per month for up to four months (May-August 2020). Students with disabilities, students with dependents would receive an additional $750. The CESB would be available to:
- Students who are enrolled in a post-secondary education program leading to a degree, diploma, or certificate;
- Students who ended their studies or graduated no earlier than December 2019;
- High-school graduates who have applied for and will be joining post-secondary programs in the coming months; and
- Canadian students studying abroad meeting one of the above criteria.
The Government of Canada is working to get money quickly into the pockets of Canadians who need it most. Students who have been unable to find employment or self-employment due to Covid-19 during the four week period for which they are applying for the CESB would be able to do so starting in May. Details will be available soon, said a media statement from Ottawa.
The CESB is a key element of the Government of Canada’s $9 billion framework to support post-secondary students and recent graduates. Comprehensive measures, including more student grants and expanded student and youth programming will help students, job seekers and youth looking for service opportunities through these extraordinary times.
“The priority of our government during this Covid-19 pandemic is to provide support quickly to those who need it most. Canada’s students face a unique set of challenges, and the legislation introduced today brings us one big step closer to helping them. The Canada Emergency Student Benefit would help approximately one million eligible students pay their bills and stay connected to the labour market,” said Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion.
Quick Facts
- The CESB represents an investment of $5.2 billion and is expected to reach approximately one million students.
- The CESB complements the Government of Canada’s Covid-19 Economic Response Plan, which already commits $146 billion in support to Canadians and businesses through these unprecedented times.
- Already-announced measures aimed at helping students include the doubling of student grant amounts and a raised cap on student loans for the upcoming school year. A six-month, interest-free moratorium on student loan repayment is already in effect.
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