Financial Supports for Albertans

Banks and Credit Unions

Alberta credit unions

• Credit union members will have access to a variety of programs and solutions designed to ease difficulties with loan payments and short-term cash flow. Contact your credit union to work out a plan for your personal situation.

ATB Financial customers

• Personal banking customers can apply for a deferral on their ATB loans, lines of credit and mortgages for up to 6 months.

Education Property Tax Freeze

Residential education property tax rates will be frozen at last year’s level – reversing the 3.4% population and inflation increase added in Budget 2020. This will save households $55 million.

Learn more

Federal Government Programs

Albertans may be eligible for financial supports through the federal government:

• Employment Insurance sickness benefits: Provides up to 15 weeks of income replacement if unable to work due to illness, injury or quarantine.
• Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB): Provides up to $2,000 a month for 4 months.
  • AISH and Income Support recipients can exempt a portion without affecting their benefits
• Canada Child Benefit: Eligible parents will receive $300 more per child with their May payment.
• GST Rebate increase: Provides a one-time special payment in May of up to $400 for single people and $600 for couples.
• Eased rules for Registered Retirement Income Funds

See all federal support programs

Info for vulnerable Albertans and other organizations

Caregivers Support

Nearly one million Albertans act as caregivers for loved ones experiencing challenges related to illness, disability or aging. These caregivers need support too.

Caregivers can get psychosocial and other peer and community supports by calling the toll-free caregiver advisor line at 1-877-453-5088 or going online to caregiversalberta.ca.

Disability Service Providers

Disability service providers play an essential role in supporting people with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic, for more information see COVID-19 information for disability service providers.

Seniors and Congregate Care Residents

Government issued public health orders to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, including COVID-19, among seniors and vulnerable groups for the following settings:

• Long-term care facilities
• Licensed supportive living facilities, including seniors lodges and group homes
• Licensed residential addiction treatment centres (under the Mental Health Services Protection Act)

Find updated guidelines and standards

Homeless Shelters and Service Providers

Shelters and temporary or transitional housing facilities provide an essential service in Alberta during this time.

• These facilities are exempt from the mass gathering public health order and may provide shelter to more than 50 people – as long as risk mitigation strategies are followed, including maintaining a minimum of 2 metres distance from one another.
• All non-essential gatherings inside these facilities must include no more than 50 people.
• For more information, read:
  •  Exemptions related to public health orders
  • Shelter guidance: preventing and controlling and managing COVID-19 (AHS) (PDF, 764 KB)

We are working with community-based organizations, homeless shelters and women’s shelters to:

• update pandemic plans with guidelines and information specific to COVID-19
• expand shelter capacity and help current service providers to maintain physical distancing practices by finding additional space to house people

$30 million has been committed to adult homeless shelters and women’s emergency shelters to support their COVID-19 response.

Charities and Not-For-Profit Organizations

$30 million has been committed to charities, non-profits and civil society organizations to support their COVID-19 response.

More information on emergency funding for charities and not-for-profit organizations.

Volunteers

Volunteers play many important roles in communities across our province.

Volunteers and volunteer organizations must follow all necessary precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 to protect themselves and those they help.

• Volunteers and employees may work together at distances of less than 2 metres, where unavoidable.
• Volunteer organizations must take actions to prevent the transmission of infection among employees, volunteers and the people they are helping.
• Proper hygiene and cleaning practices must be followed within the volunteer organization.
• Any employee or volunteer with symptoms, including cough, fever, shortness of breath, runny nose, or sore throat, is required by law to isolate and may not participate in volunteer or workplace activities.

Information for non-health care volunteers (PDF, 43 KB)

Faith-Based Organizations

Worship leaders may continue to hold worship services remotely, but can now offer in-person services with no cap on attendance, as long as physical distancing of 2 metres is maintained between families and household cohorts.

Congregational singing is a high-risk activity and is discouraged.

For more information, see guidance for places of worship (available in multiple languages)

Expectant Parents

Currently, evidence does not suggest:

• being pregnant increases your risk of getting COVID-19 or having serious complications
• COVID-19 is transmitted to your baby during pregnancy, delivery or through breastmilk

However, there is always an increased risk of preterm or stillbirth with any significant maternal illness.

Talk to your health care provider if you have questions or are worried about leaving your home to attend appointments.

If you aren’t feeling well, take the online assessment to arrange testing

For more information, read the AHS COVID-19 and Pregnancy guide

The information provided on this page is from alberta.ca/covid19 as of October 14, 2020.