Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced $9 billion in aid for students across Canada.
The Canada Emergency Student Benefit will allow students to receive $1,250 a month from May to August, or up to $1,750 a month for a student who takes care of someone else or has a disability.
Post-secondary students who graduated in Dec. 2019 and those staring in Sept. 2020 will be eligible, in addition to students who have a job but receive $1,000 or less a month. Trudeau said this benefit will start on May 1, with payments delivered through the CRA.
The federal government also said it will create 76,000 jobs for young people, in addition to the summer jobs program, with a focus on providing assistance to frontline worker and sectors that require some extra help during the pandemic. There will also be specific support for Indigenous students. The government will introduce grants between $1,000 and $5,000, the Canada Student Service Grant, for students who volunteer in positions to fight against COVID-19.
Trudeau also announced that student researchers and graduate students will receive an investment of $291 million to extend scholarships, fellowships and grants for up to four months.
The federal governments plans to double the amount of federal grant funds provided to student for the 2020-2021 school year.
