DURHAM, ONT. -- These are dark days for the Allen household in Durham, Ont.
“We’re pretty worried if this doesn’t change soon. We’re going to lose our house. We’re going to be homeless because when 90 per cent of your income is all of a sudden gone, how do you pay your bills?” wonders Jessie Allen.
Her husband Matt Allen is a chef. He was laid off from his job in Port Elgin because of restrictions around COVID-19 in March.
His employer has yet to apply for the Federal Wage Subsidy that would cover 75 per cent of his salary.
He also doesn't qualify for the $2,000 per month Canada Emergency Relief Benefit (CERB), because he has a part-time job at a local long-term care home, and is deemed an essential worker. But that’s only 10 per cent of his monthly income.
His wife is on disability, so he’s the sole bread-winner, with little to no income, and no government program to help his family stay afloat.
“Not many people hold just one job anymore. They hold two, three, maybe four jobs just to make ends meet,” he says.
Allen says there are thousands of families just like his who are falling through the cracks of the government’s COVID-19 recovery programs.
“The CERB does not allow anyone to bring in any additional income to help their families. This isn’t just us. This is thousands of people across the country,” he says.
Allen, who also has two children at home, is holding out hope his employer will apply for the 75 per cent wage subsidy, but it is out of his control. Without it or some sort of government help, he and his family will be in a deep financial hole that he fears they won’t be able to get out of.
He’s been in contact with his local MP to let the government know their programs are leaving some Canadians behind.
