On December 22, 2021 the government announced that it will:
Expand the Local Lockdown Program to include employers subject to capacity-limiting restrictions of 50% or more; and reduce the current-month revenue decline threshold requirement to 25% (it was previously 40%). Eligible employers will receive wage and rent subsidies from 25% up to a maximum of 75%, depending on their degree of revenue loss. The rate of subsidy will continue to be calculated on a 1:1 basis (e.g. 25% revenue decline = 25% subsidy). The 12-month revenue decline test continues to not be required in order to access this support.
Expand the Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit to include workers in regions where provincial or territorial governments have introduced capacity-limiting restrictions of 50% or more. Furthermore, these regulatory changes would include reducing the minimum number of days a lockdown order needs to be in place to meet the new definition to 7 consecutive days, down from 14 consecutive days. As announced previously, this benefit will provide $300 a week in income support to eligible workers who are directly affected by a COVID-19-related public health lockdown, and who have lost 50% or more of their income as a result.
These updated regulations will apply from December 19, 2021, to February 12, 2022, during which time it is expected that public health authorities will continue to implement “circuit-breaker” restrictions that limit the spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 across Canada.