News

The Canadian Independent Musicians Association has provided the following update:  As the music community comes together during the novel COVID-19 pandemic, we hope to keep you informed of developments as they roll out. Artists, performers, and musicians are without income, and the entrepreneurs and companies that work to promote, support, and elevate Canadian music are all seeing their livelihoods in jeopardy. Please review the information below in case it may be of assistance. We are staying abreast of the situation as it pertains to the music industry across Canada, and implore everyone to stay as safe as possible through this stressful and uncertain time.

APRIL 15 UPDATES:

Further changes have been made to the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB). Minister Steven Guilbeault tweeted the following update: "Creators who are receiving royalty payments from prior copyrighted works are eligible for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit, provided that they meet other requirements." Read the full news release here. 

To help more Canadians benefit from the CERB, the government will be changing the eligibility rules to:

• Allow people to earn up to $1,000 per month while collecting the CERB.
• Extend the CERB to seasonal workers who have exhausted their EI regular benefits and are unable to undertake their usual seasonal work as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.
• Extend the CERB to workers who recently exhausted their EI regular benefits and are unable to find a job or return to work because of COVID-19.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced that the Government of Canada will have more on rental assistance for small businesses. He addressed that "this is a major crisis across the country with restaurateurs, shop keepers, and other small business owners very fearful. The loss of these businesses would devastate Canada's neighborhoods".