NEW: Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB) would provide eligible students and new graduates who do not qualify for CERB $1250/month or $1750/month to those with dependants or disabilities. Legislation is required for this program. If passed, it would be available May-August 2020. Click here to read.

NEW: Canada Student Service Grant will provide students who choose to do national service and serve their communities up to $5000 for their education in the fall. Click here to read the press release

NEW: Canada Student Grants for eligible full-time students will be doubled to up to $6,000 and up to $3,600 for part-time students in 2020-21. The Canada Student Grants for Students with Permanent Disabilities and Students with Dependents would also be doubled. Click here to read the press release

Canada Student Loans repayments paused for six months without penalty, starting April. Maximum weekly amount that can be provided to a student in 2020-21 has been raised from $210 to $350. Repayment will be paused automatically.

BC Student Loans repayments paused for six months without penalty, starting April. Repayment will be paused automatically.

Emergency Assistance available for students at public post-secondary institutions. Non-repayable funds can be used to help with a broad range of costs, including living expenses, food, travel, portable computers and other supports for students who are not already able to study remotely. Contact your school’s financial aid office to apply. See backgrounder for contact list.

Indigenous Emergency Assistance Fund available for Indigenous students at public post-secondary institutions can apply for non-repayable emergency assistance that can be used to help with a broad range of costs, including living expenses, groceries, cell phone bills, childcare, medical, dental, optical, and travel costs for family crisis or community obligations. Contact the Indigenous Student Service Centre on campus. See backgrounder for contact list.

Mental Health support

Here2Talk provides free, confidential mental-health counselling and referral service for post-secondary students by app, phone, or online chat, 24-7. Call 1-877-857-3397 to speak with a counsellor or get more information online.

Canadian Summer Jobs Program

April 8: The federal government announced temporary changes to the Canada Summer Jobs program in an effort to encourage youth employment during the COVID-19 pandemic. The government projects that the earmarked $263 million in funding will create up to 70,000 jobs for youth.

The Canada Summer Jobs program is intended to create quality summer work experiences for youth between 15 and 30 years of age by providing wage subsidies to the following employers:

  • not-for-profit organizations;
  • the public sector; and
  • private sector organizations with 50 or fewer full-time employees across Canada.

The temporary changes to the program include:

  • an increase to the wage subsidy, so that private and public sector employers can also receive up to 100% of the provincial or territorial minimum hourly wage for each employee
  • an extension to the end date for employment to February 28, 2021
  • allowing employers to adapt their projects and job activities to support essential services
  • allowing employers to hire staff on a part-time basis

Other eligibility requirements, including the required duration of employment (between 6 and 16 weeks), currently remain unchanged.

Job placements under the program can begin as early as May 11, 2020.