Since the outbreak of COVID-19, millions of people have lost their income in Canada. To mitigate the economic and social effects of this crisis, your government has set up a generous emergency fund, the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB).

Since its inception, your government has reduced the barriers to accessing these funds to include students and self-employed people making under 1000$/month.

However, one key group remains in the shadow: those who did not make 5000$ in the last 12 months. These are among the poorest and most precarious people among us: they must be included in the CERB benefit now! 

Among others, people who in the past 12 months:

- struggled with mental health issues
- were on unpaid burnout leave
- had to take time off work for personal, health or professional reasons
- received financial help from their parents, who can no longer support them
- lived on savings (to work on a creative project, to travel, to help family)
- survived on informal wages (deliveries, sex work, etc.)
- managed chronic health conditions and pain
- lived on the streets and/or on friends' couches
- found a job just before the crisis hit

...may not have 5000$ to declare.

While we do not see the benefits of this exclusion, we are seeing its devastating effects: friends, siblings and colleagues of ours are suddenly faced with eviction threats, increased hunger and hardship. Many of them will not benefit from the CAQ's newly announced Provincial loan program for tenants. In any case, their meager earnings and precarious financial situations simply cannot sustain accruing more debt due to the COVID-19 crisis: how will they be expected to pay these loans back with no secure wages in sight? 

We ask that you amend CERB requirements by lowering this income threshold to 0$ now. This will provide critical support to the most vulnerable people in Canada.

Everyone, no matter their income in the last 12 months, should receive your help at this critical time!