Applications Open for Emergency Relief Grant for Individuals

Nova Scotians who lost income because of the recent wildfires in Halifax Regional Municipality and Shelburne County may be eligible for short-term financial support through the Emergency Relief Grant for Individuals.

“We know this has been a difficult and stressful time for many Nova Scotians, and we’re listening to their needs to develop responsive programs,” said Premier Tim Houston. “This grant is designed to address some of the financial stress many of our fellow Nova Scotians are facing.”

Employed and self-employed Nova Scotians who are not receiving Employment Insurance (EI) and those who had or are in an EI waiting period may qualify for this relief grant. The amount of the short-term emergency grant, either $275 or $550 per week, depends on the extent of the impact faced.

To be eligible, workers must not have been able to attend work, resulting in an interruption in income. They must either live or work in a mandatory wildfire evacuation area or were affected by business disruptions that happened because of the recent wildfires. People who are self-employed and unable to operate their business, permanently or temporarily, because of the wildfires may also qualify. Nova Scotia volunteer firefighters who helped fight the Barrington Lake complex or Tantallon wildfires, including Farmers Dairy Lane, and could not access paid voluntary leave from their employers may also be eligible.

Information on how to access the grant and eligibility is at: https://novascotia.ca/programs/emergency-relief-grant-individuals . People with questions about the grant or application can contact an Employment Nova Scotia office at 1-877-223-0888.

Quotes:

“We’ve been listening to Nova Scotians who have been impacted by the wildfires to better understand where the gaps are in their Employment Insurance and identify areas for support. This grant will fill that gap and help reduce some of the financial stress, so people can focus on recovering. We want to help.”

– Jill Balser, Minister of Labour, Skills and Immigration

Quick Facts:

• on June 5, the government announced the Small Business Wildfire Relief Program and expanded eligibility on June 20
• on May 29, the government announced $500 for every household required to evacuate because of the wildfires

Additional Resources:

How to apply to Employment Insurance:
https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/corporate/notices/hazardous-weather.html#h2.01

Employment and income resources after emergency: https://novascotia.ca/alerts/docs/employment-income-resources-after-emergency.pdf

Tantallon fire evacuation information: https://www.halifax.ca/fire-police/fire/emergency-management/fires-tantallon-hammonds-plains

Barrington Lake, Shelburne County, fire evacuation information: https://www.facebook.com/shelburneemo