The 2021 Federal Budget proposes that CEWS will be extended to September 25, 2021, but will start phasing out after July 3, 2021. Only employers with more than a 10% decline in revenues will be eligible for the wage subsidy as of that date.
CEWS Base and Top-up Rates, Periods 17 to 20
| Period 17 | Period 18 | Period 19 | Period 20 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date Range | June 6 - July 3 | July 4 - July 31 | Aug 1 - Aug 28 | Aug 29 - Sep 25 |
| Maximum weekly benefit per employee* | $847 | $677 | $452 | $226 |
| Revenue Decline: | ||||
| 70% and over | 75% | 60% | 40% | 20% |
| 50-69% | 40% + 1.75 x (revenue decline - 50%) | 35% + 1.25 x (revenue decline - 50%) | 25% + 0.75 x (revenue decline - 50%) | 10% + 0.5 x (revenue decline - 50%) |
| >10-50% | 0.8 x revenue decline | 0.875 x (revenue decline - 10%) | 0.625 x (revenue decline - 10%) | 0.25 x (revenue decline - 10%) |
| 0-10% | 0.8 x revenue decline | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Reference Periods
The reference periods for determining the revenue decline are as follows:
| Period 17 Jun. 6 – Jul. 3 | Period 18 Jul. 4 – Jul. 31 | Period 19 Aug. 1 – Aug. 28 | Period 20 Aug. 29 – Sep. 25 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Approach | Jun. 2021 over Jun. 2019 or May 2021 over May 2019 | Jul. 2021 over Jul. 2019 or Jun. 2021 over Jun. 2019 | Aug. 2021 over Aug. 2019 or Jul. 2021 over Jul. 2019 | Sep. 2021 over Sep. 2019 or Aug. 2021 over Aug. 2019 |
| Alternative Approach | Jun. 2021 or May 2021 over average of Jan. and Feb. 2020 | Jul. 2021 or Jun. 2021 over average of Jan. and Feb. 2020 | Aug. 2021 or Jul. 2021 over average of Jan. and Feb. 2020 | Sep. 2021 or Aug. 2021 over average of Jan. and Feb. 2020 |
Baseline Remuneration
An employer’s entitlement to CEWS in respect of an employee may be affected by their baseline remuneration, also known as pre-crisis remuneration. Absent an election, baseline remuneration is calculated using the period beginning January 1, 2020 and ending March 15, 2020. Budget 2021 proposes to allow an eligible employer to elect to use the following alternative baseline remuneration periods:
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