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Applications Open Friday For Student Benefit

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Applications are open Friday for a benefit aimed at students.

Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, said the Canada Emergency Student Benefit will provide temporary income support.

“(It’s) a direct support to students who are struggling to find work during the summer months and who are worried about paying their bills and tuition in the fall,” she said.

Qualtrough said students can apply through the Canada Revenue Agency.

“Through this benefit eligible students will receive $1250 dollars from May to August 2020 or $2000 per month for students with disabilities or students with dependents,” she said.

Qualtrough said to manage the volume of applications, students will be asked to apply over 4 days depending on their month of birth.

“This money will not have to be paid back. Just like the CERB, students can make up to a thousand dollars over the four week period for which they are applying,” she said.

Qualtrough said students can expect their payment within 3 to 5 business days via direct deposit after the application is approved.

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Premier Talks Camps, School & Store Safety

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Ontario’s Premier hasn’t made a final decision on whether or not people will be able to stay at their camps this summer if it’s not located in the community they currently reside in.

Doug Ford says he understands the frustration felt by people who pay taxes on their summer properties and want to use them.

“So if people are responsible and the numbers continue to go down and people bring their own food, don’t go to the stores and stay in their cottages…by May 24th there’s only so long I can hold the gates back from these people, there going to want to go to their vacation property, I understand,” Ford said.

Ford says he thinks his government has made the right decision on limiting cottagers at the moment but says it’s still a wait and see issue that will be decided at a later date.

Older students in elementary school and those in high school understand the need for physical distancing according to the Premier.

But the younger kids don’t understand why they can’t play with their friends, and that’s something Premier Ford and his government are considering when it comes to sending students back to school.

“So that’s something we really have to focus on especially if the decision is made and the decision hasn’t been made on if the kids will be going back to school in June sometime. We really have to monitor it,” Ford said.

The Premier reiterated they will continue to monitor the course of the pandemic before making a final decision about the fate of students.

Ford also suggests all businesses should be preparing and storing personal protective equipment for when they’ll be able to reopen during the pandemic.

He suggests retail stores should be planning no matter if they open in two weeks or several weeks from now.

“There’s the warning right now, it’s coming, the numbers keep going down, we got to get the economy going based on health and science. I have to keep emphasizing that, just because we open up these stores doesn’t mean it’s a free for all, we still need to follow the physical distancing rules and the instructions from the Chief Medical Officer,” Ford said.

The Premier’s comments come after some garden centres said they were caught off guard by the province’s decision to allow them to offer service starting today.

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COVID-19 Student Fund Set Up By Con College

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Confederation College has established a COVID-19 Emergency Fund to help students in need.

A total of $427,000 has so far been raised thanks to contributions from the College, Student Union and individual donors.

The Fund started accepting applications on April 27th and already 150 submissions have been received.

Eligible students with the greatest need may receive a one time payment of up to $500 to help cover unforeseen expenses incurred as a result of the pandemic.

That could include food, rent, medications, child care and education-related expenses for transitioning to online classes.

School President Kathleen Lynch says “With so many people in need during this time, it is truly touching that our donors and communities have not forgotten our students. Students are certainly dealing with increased pressures as they have adapted to studying in a new online environment while balancing family and work responsibilities. In many cases, students have lost part-time jobs, adding to an already stressful financial situation. This fund was quickly established to help address some of those financial challenges our students are facing.”

Donations are still being accepted.

You can visit http://www.confederationcollege.ca/COVIDfund or contact the Advancement Office at (807) 632-5678.

(Picture taken before COVID-19 crisis)

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Federal Aid For Students Dealing With COVID-19

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The federal government has unveiled a roughly $9 billion aid package to help students struggling to find work during the COVID-19 crisis.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says college and university students who have seen their education and job possibilities altered will be able to take advantage of a new Canada Emergency Student Benefit.

“You’ll get $1,250 a month from May to August and if you take care of someone else or have a disability, that amount will go up to $1,750 each month.”

Trudeau says postsecondary students currently in school, planning to start in September, or who graduated in December 2019 are eligible, even if you have a job and making less than $1,000 a month.

He says the period covered by the benefit will start on May 1st and payments will be delivered through the Canada Revenue Agency.

Trudeau adds “Our government is creating 76,000 jobs for young people in addition to the Canada Summer Jobs program. These placements will be in sectors that need an extra hand right now or that are on the frontline’s of this pandemic. We’re also going to be providing specific support for Indigenous students.”

Trudeau says “For student researchers and graduate students. We are going to invest over $291 million to extend scholarships, fellowships, and grants, to make sure you can keep working. Depending on your funding it will be extended for three or four months.”

Other highlights of the student aid package:

-Launching a new Canada Student Service Grant of between $1,000 and $5,000 for students volunteering in the COVID-19 fight
-Providing more than $75 million to specifically increase support for First Nations, Inuit, and Metis Nation students
-Doubling the student grants that the government gives out for the 2020-21 school year.

The prime minister says his government will be working with opposition parties to move forward on legislation to put the supports in place.

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Medical School Preparing For Summer Student Program

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Clinics, hospitals and long term care homes are being encouraged to apply for funding to have health care students work at their organization during the summer of 2020.

Nova Mason is the Community Relations Coordinator for the Northern Ontario School of Medicine and she says they are now accepting applications for their Summer Studentship program.

“NOSM can help off-set the cost of summer students being hired in small communities that may not have the resources to do it on their own. In some of my discussions with agencies across the North, we are the only way that they can afford to have a summer student.”

Mason says the program is important for the Medical School.

“We are here to make doctors and of course to recruit. This program helps increase active learning experiences and recruitment initiatives in smaller communities all around us.”

Interested agencies have until January 1st to apply.

Once they have been approved for funding, students studying medicine, nursing, rehabilitation and pharmacy will be asked to submit their application for a summer job placement.

For more information visit https://www.nosm.ca/

You can also email summerstudentship@nosm.ca

To hear more from Nova Mason visit the Audio link below.

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Student Vote In 2019 Federal Election

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This year’s federal election is being followed very closely by several classrooms in northwestern Ontario.

They’re learning about the election process through a program called Student Vote.

Spokesperson Ruth Matthews says it’s aimed at helping young people gain interest in the election process.

Matthews says “the whole goal is that by the time they are 18 and they are of age to cast an official ballot, they are making an informed and engaged decision.”

She says “students learn about the government, the electoral process, they research the constituency issues and the candidates that are running in their schools riding.”

Matthews notes that leads to discussions with fellow students and friends.

The program also includes a mock vote with the results from participating schools being released on election night.

Grade 4 to 12 students in more than 8,500 schools across the country are taking part.

To take part, visit https://studentvote.ca/canada/