Coronavirus, health & security financial measures

AQTIS ensures that members do not have to work in conditions that are hazardous to their health and safety. Our efforts have paid off since, according to the information we have been receiving continuously since yesterday, more than forty shootings have been postponed or canceled.

In addition, in solidarity with our colleagues from other associations, we have called on the Quebec government to order that non-essential filming be stopped to protect all artists and artisans.

We also questioned the government that for us freelancers, no filming = no income. In this sense, we must welcome the federal government's announcements this afternoon, the main lines of which are as follows.

Support for workers

• To support workers and their families, the Government of Canada is taking the following steps:
• Temporary increase in Canada Child Benefit payments.
• Introduction of an emergency care allowance of up to $ 900 biweekly for up to 15 weeks. This will provide income assistance to workers who must stay at home and who do not have paid sick leave. The measure aims to:
• Workers, including the self-employed, who are sick, quarantined or instructed to isolate themselves, but who are not eligible for Employment Insurance (EI) sickness benefits;
• Workers, including the self-employed, who care for a family member with COVID-19, such as an elderly parent or other sick dependent, but who are not eligible for sickness benefits EA;
• Working parents, whether or not they are eligible for EI, and who have to stay home without pay because their children are sick or require additional services due to school closings.
• Additional assistance to individuals and families on low and modest incomes through a special supplement to the goods and services tax credit.
• Elimination for at least six months of the mandatory week-long waiting period for EI sickness benefits for workers who have been placed under quarantine or who have been directed to isolate themselves, in accordance with announcement made on March 11.
• Elimination of the requirement to provide a medical certificate to access EI sickness benefits.
• Extension until June 1 of the deadline for the transmission of personal income tax returns and allow all taxpayers to postpone after August 31, 2020 the payment of any amount of income tax that becomes due between today and September 2020.
• Greater flexibility for lenders to defer mortgage payments associated with government-insured mortgages for borrowers experiencing financial difficulties due to the pandemic.

We continue our approaches to governments so that our reality is well understood and taken into account, we work in concert with our colleagues in the field, our labor relations advisers and member services are available and continue to answer your questions.

We will keep you regularly informed of any developments.

Good luck and do not hesitate to call on us.

Read the full press release from the Federal Government here.