Revitalize Your Finances with the Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB)

Throughout the designated time frame: you were either not involved in any employment or self-employment due to reasons concerning COVID-19, or your average weekly income from the previous year had a 50% decrease due to COVID-19. To calculate the 50% reduction, determine your average weekly employment or net self-employment income from the previous year.

For 2020 periods, consider 2019 or the previous 12 months. For 2021 periods, consider 2019, 2020, or the previous 12 months. It is necessary to meet these criteria for every period applied for.

Example:

2019, 2020, or the previous 12 months

$26,000 (employment and self-employment income in 2019, 2020, or the previous 12 months)

÷ 52

= $500 (average weekly income in 2019, 2020, or the previous 12 months)

÷ 2

= $250 (50% of the average weekly income in 2019, 2020, or the previous 12 months)

CRB 2-week period

$100 (employment and self-employment income for the CRB period)

÷ 2

= $50 (average weekly income for the CRB period)

For periods in 2021, your average weekly income for the CRB period must have been less than 50% of your average weekly income in 2019, 2020, or the previous 12 months. In this example, the individual met the criteria since $50 (average weekly income for the CRB period) is less than $250 (50% of the average weekly income in 2019, 2020, or the previous 12 months).

Inclusion in employment or self-employment income includes non-eligible dividends and tips earned while working. Other inclusions are honoraria, such as those given to emergency service volunteers, and royalties paid to artists. Exclusions in the calculation are CPP, QPP, or other pension income, social assistance, family support payments, student loans, and bursaries. Additionally, OAS payments, maternity, and parental benefits from EI or similar QPIP benefits must also not be included.

You resided and had a home in Canada but did not need to be a permanent resident or citizen. You were either seeking work as an employee or in self-employment during the period. If you attended courses or programs that the provincial government or provincial body referred to you during the two-week period, you were eligible for the CRB, provided that you met other eligibility criteria.

You did not reject reasonable work during the two-week period you applied for, or else you would have lost five periods (ten weeks) of CRB eligibility periods and waited for the same period before reapplying. If you turned down work again, you would have faced the same penalty.

You were not under self-quarantine or isolation because of international travel unless an exception was applicable. Exceptions are when you traveled for medical treatment certified by a medical practitioner, you accompanied a person who needed the assistance of an attendant to get medical treatment certified by a medical practitioner, or if you were an essential worker who was exempt from quarantine and needed to travel for work reasons but had to isolate upon return to Canada.

It is imperative to file a tax return for 2019 or 2020. However, not filing a tax return is not a CRB requirement if you applied for less than 21 periods beginning on September 27, 2020, and applied for period 21 (July 4 to July 17, 2021), or an earlier period. To confirm your CRB periods’ number, check on CRA My Account, under "COVID-19 Support Payment Application Details."