Alberta

On March 18, 2020, the Alberta Government announced a $50 million investment in Albertans affected by COVID-19.

The Alberta Government COVID-19 Economic Response Plan for Albertans and employers and employees can be found here.

Income and Support for Individuals

Emergency isolation support

Eligible working Albertans can receive a one-time emergency isolation support payment of $1,146 if they are required to self-isolate, or are the sole caregiver of someone in self-isolation and they have no other source of pay or compensation.

This is a temporary program to bridge the gap until the Federal Emergency Care Benefit is available in April.

If you are eligible for federal Employment Insurance benefits, you are strongly encouraged to apply immediately.

Eligibility

You are eligible for the emergency isolation support program if you:

  • Have experienced total or significant loss of income and are not receiving compensation from any other source because you:
  • have been diagnosed with COVID-19;
  • have been directed by health authorities to self-isolate; or
  • are the sole caregiver of a dependent who is in self-isolation.

You are not eligible for this program if you:

  • were not working immediately before you were advised to self-isolate;
  • can work from home;
  • are not experiencing a significant loss of income as a result of self-isolation;
  • are currently collecting other forms of income support or employer benefits while self-isolated, such as:
  • workplace sick leave benefits
  • are staying home to care for a dependent who is home for a reason other than self-isolation; or
  • reside outside of Alberta.

How to apply

Applications can be submitted online here.

If you need help completing your application, call Alberta Connects at 310-4455, open 7 days a week from 8 am to 8 pm. Please be patient as call volumes may be high.

If your application is approved, you will receive a one-time payment of $1,146 through Interac e-Transfer within 24 to 48 hours.

Utility payment holiday

Residential customers can defer electricity and natural gas bill payments for the next 90 days to ensure no one will be cut off, regardless of the service provider.

Education property tax freeze

The Government will immediately freeze education property taxes at last year's level. The Government expects that Albertans and Alberta businesses will fully realize these savings and that municipal property tax levels will not be increased as a result of the lower provincial education property tax levels.

Student loans repayment holiday

A six-month, interest free, suspension on Alberta student loan payments for all Albertans in the process of repaying these loans has been implemented.

  • Alberta Student Loan repayments will be paused for six months, beginning March 30, 2020.
  • Interest will not accrue during this period, (this mirrors the approach of the Canada Student Loans Program).
  • Students do not need to apply for the repayment pause.
  • Borrowers may continue making payments during this period if they choose and this will not affect their eligibility to receive the benefit.

Banks and credit unions

ATB financial customers

Personal banking customers can apply for a deferral on their ATB loans, lines of credit, and mortgages for up to six months.

Alberta Credit Unions

Credit union members will have access to a variety of programs and solutions designed to ease difficulties with loan payments and short-term cash flow.

Contact your credit union to work out a plan for your personal situation.

Support for Businesses

Corporate income tax changes

Corporate income tax balances and installment payments will be deferred from March 19 until August 31, 2020

WCB premiums deferral

WCB premiums for private sector employers are deferred until early 2021, effectively for one year. Employers who have already paid their WCB premiums for 2020 are eligible for a rebate or credit.

For small and medium businesses, the Government will cover 50 per cent of the premium when it is due, and large employers will also receive a break by having their 2020 WCB premiums deferred until 2021.

Utility payment holiday

Farm and commercial customers can defer electricity and natural gas bill payments for the next 90 days

Education property tax deferral

Effective immediately, the Government will defer education property tax for businesses for six months, helping employers to pay employees and continue operations. The Government expects municipalities to set education property tax rates as they normally would, but to defer collection, with deferred amounts being repaid in future years.

The Government encourages commercial landlords to pass on these savings to their tenants through reduced or deferred payments, helping them continue to manage their debts, pay their employees and stay in business.

Banks and credit unions

Credit unions

Business members should contact their credit union directly to work out a plan for their personal situation

ATB Financial

Small business customers can apply for a payment deferral on loans and lines of credit for up to 6 months and access additional working capital.

Other businesses and agriculture customers can access support on a one-on-one basis

Job-protected leave

Changes to the Employment Standards Code will allow full and part-time employees to take 14 days of job-protected leave if they are required to self-isolate or caring for a child or dependent adult that is required to self-isolate.

To be eligible, employees will not be required to have a medical note and do not need to have worked for an employer for 90 days.

This leave covers the 14 day self-isolation period recommended by Alberta's chief medical officer and may be extended if the advice of the chief medical officer changes.

The leave does not apply to self-employed individuals or contractors.

Vacation pay, leave or banked overtime

Employers and employees may consider using other available leaves should an employee be required to self-isolate.

Employees can request using their vacation pay or banked overtime, but employers are not required to grant the request. Provincial employment rules only require employers to provide vacation pay, vacation leave or pay banked overtime within a year of it being earned.

Employers can request employees voluntarily take vacation leave and/or use their vacation pay or banked overtime, but cannot force them to do so under provincial employment rules.

Employment insurance benefits

Employees may consider applying for federal Employment Insurance benefits which now allow up to 15 weeks of assistance if a person cannot work due to medical reasons such as self-isolation or self-quarantine. Furthermore, the one-week waiting period for Employment Insurance benefits has been waived by the federal government.

Business continuity plans

Employers should consider their business continuity plans and how COVID-19 could impact their workplace. To prepare, make plans to:

  • protect employees
  • limit spread in workplaces
  • ensure continuity of critical services if staff are ill or self-isolating
  • explore alternate working arrangements, such as:
  • working from home or remotely
  • doing work that doesn't require contact with other people

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.