Government expands aid to workers, businesses hit by Omicron restrictions

The federal government is temporarily expanding eligibility for two COVID-19 benefit programs to aid those affected by capacity limits imposed in response to the spread of the Omicron variant.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is making the announcement today as provinces tighten restrictions on businesses in response to a countrywide surge of COVID-19 cases.

Last week Parliament passed the new Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit, a program that grants $300 a week to anyone who can't work because of a COVID-19 lockdown.

The law also includes targeted aid for businesses that are ordered close as part of a local lockdown.

The government defined a lockdown to be when a health authority orders non-essential businesses closed and non-essential workers to stay home.

Currently, no part of the country is officially in lockdown, leaving those benefits out to reach for people even as businesses shut their doors and workers are sent home.