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Alberta opens second phase of $1,200 Critical Worker Benefit

Alberta has opened the second phase of its Critical Worker Benefit. New categories of workers in the social services and private sectors are now eligible, targeting those who provided critical services to Albertans, were essential to the supply and movement of goods, and faced greater potential risk of exposure to COVID-19 through their work environments.

Included under the list of the eligible categories under private sectors is agriculture. As the eligibility document states, “Workers in crop production, animal production or aquaculture: Workers must be directly involved in the production of food for human consumption. This includes farms, orchards, groves, greenhouses and nurseries that are growing crops, as well as ranches, feedlots and farms that are producing animal products, including aquaculture.”

To be eligible for the benefit, private sector workers must have worked a minimum of 300 hours during the period of Oct. 12, 2020 to Jan. 31, 2021, be making $25 per hour or less, be located and working in Alberta, and have not yet received the Critical Worker Benefit.

Private sector employers must apply on behalf of their eligible employees using the application portal. The deadline is July 23, 2021, but applications will be assessed on a first completed, first approved basis.

Employers will be responsible for distributing the $1,200 Critical Worker Benefit to their eligible employees.

Read the application guidelines to determine eligibility

The Critical Worker Benefit is a joint federal-provincial program with $465 million available to recognize the hard work of critical workers during the pandemic. Alberta’s government contributed $118 million to the $465 million program

During the first round of the Critical Worker Benefit Alberta’s government provided $1,200 payments to over 277,800 workers in the healthcare, social services, education and private sectors who deliver critical services to Albertans or support food and medical supply chains. This included social services workers, health care workers, education workers and critical private sector workers, such as grocery cashiers, pharmacy assistants, and gas station attendants.

Source: Government of Alberta