COVID-19 Pandemic - The government is granting a credit to businesses for their contribution to the Health Services Fund

QUÉBEC CITY, April 30, 2020 /CNW Telbec/ - Following the implementation of the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy, the Québec government is announcing today that it will grant employers a credit on contributions to the Health Services Fund for employees on forced leaved.

This additional assistance, which offsets costs not covered by the federal government measure, will be in force for the entire duration of the 12-week wage subsidy, which now extends from March 15 to June 6, 2020.

The credit will have an estimated impact of $113 million for the Québec government for the 2020-2021 fiscal year.

The terms and conditions of the measure can be consulted in the Information Bulletin published by the Ministère des Finances at:

http://www.finances.gouv.qc.ca/documents/Bulletins/en/BULEN_2020-7-a-b.pdf

Reminders

This new measure rounds out those already implemented since the outset of the pandemic:

• the Concerted Action to Maintain Employment Program (CAMEP);
• the Panier Bleu (blue basket) initiative to promote local purchasing;
• the Incentive Program to Retain Essential Workers (IPREW);
• the wage enhancement for health and social services personnel;
• the emergency assistance program for small and medium businesses;
• a temporary hourly increase of $4 in the wages of orderlies in the private sector;
• the temporary aid for workers program (TAWP);
• the concerted action for businesses program (PACTE);
• Revenu Québec's increased flexibility for individuals and businesses;
• the six-month suspension of all student loans payments;
• a 25% reduction, in 2020, in the mandatory withdrawal amount from a registered retirement income fund (RRIF);
• the $45-million investment to support the recruitment of farm workers;
• participation in the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance program.

"We share with the federal government the objective of keeping in employment as many workers as possible during the critical period of the pandemic to support businesses affected by the crisis. For this reason, in order to complement the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy, we are offering businesses a contribution credit to the Health Services Fund."

Eric Girard, Minister of Finance

Related link:

For information on COVID-19 and all the assistance programs offered, please visit Québec.ca/coronavirus.

SOURCE Cabinet du ministre des Finances

Fanny Beaudry-Campeau, Press Relations Officer, Office of the Minister of Finance, Tel.: [phone]