Canada Announces New Measures for Vulnerable Canadians

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced measures to support vulnerable Canadians to help cope with the health, social, and economic impacts of the COVID‑19 pandemic.

“This pandemic means that some of our fellow Canadians need help now, more than ever.  That’s why we are working with partners to increase the support to ensure organizations on the front lines of COVID-19 can continue to serve those Canadians who need it most,” Minister of Families, Children, and Social Development Ahmed Hussen said. These measures will help provide young people with mental health supports and Canadian seniors with practical services.

The details are as follows:

• Increase support for Canadians experiencing homelessness, and provide help for women and children fleeing violence. As announced on March 18, 2020, the Government of Canada will provide an additional $157.5 million to address the needs of Canadians experiencing homelessness. The government will also provide up to $50 million to women’s shelters and sexual assault centres, including facilities in Indigenous communities, to help with their capacity to manage or prevent an outbreak.
• Provide support for counselling services to children and youth. As a result of school closures and reduced access to community resources, Kids Help Phone is experiencing increased demand for its 24/7 confidential online, telephone, and text counselling services across Canada. The Government of Canada will give $7.5 million in funding to Kids Help Phone to provide young people with the mental health support they need during this difficult time.
• Provide immediate essential services to Canadian seniors impacted by COVID-19. The Government of Canada will contribute $9 million through United Way Canada for local organizations to support practical services to Canadian seniors. These services could include the delivery of groceries, medications, or other needed items, or personal outreach to assess individuals’ needs and connect them to community supports.

“While physical distancing is essential to protecting seniors from COVID-19 it risks isolating them from their community.  That is why the Government of Canada is proud to work with United Way Canada to help support the needs of seniors during this difficult time,” Minister of Seniors Deb Schutte said. The United Way of Hamilton and Halton is collected for a COVID-19 Emergency Fund.