Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced the creation of a $350 million Emergency Community Support Fund in an effort to help charities and non-profits keep up with increased demands during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The program was launched as a way to aid these community supports in keeping up their work assisting Canada’s most vulnerable.
Trudeau says that because these groups have had to change the way they deliver services due to strict public health measures, vulnerable populations like seniors may be left without the programs they rely on.
The newly announced funding will go to smaller front-line organizations, as well as larger groups. The bigger national groups can “get funds to local organizations and vulnerable people quickly,” Trudeau said.
The fund will go towards programs like United Way and the Canadian Red Cross.
Additionally, Trudeau announced employers will be able to apply for the 75% emergency wage subsidy as of Monday, April 27th.
The Prime Minister also said the federal government will be launching a new calculator on the Canada Revenue Agency website to help businesses determine how much they will be able to claim through the wage subsidy program.
