Justin Trudeau's government announced Tuesday that it will award a bonus of up to 500 Canadian dollars (328 euros) to the nearly seven million Canadian retirees, particularly affected by the coronavirus epidemic in Canada.
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Canada surpassed the 5,000 Covid-19 deaths on Tuesday, and more than 80% of those deaths are registered in retirement homes across the country according to official figures. "The past few weeks have been particularly difficult for our seniors and their families," said the Prime Minister of Canada during his daily press conference. "They spend a lot of time alone, separated from their families," without the ability to use public transportation and often have to have their groceries delivered, he said. "It's hard on morale as much as on finances . "
200 additional dollars for the most deprived
All retirees will receive a single payment of $ 300, to which will be added $ 200 for the poorest. "Across the country, long-term care centers and retirement homes have been the hardest hit by the pandemic, exposing the flaws in a system that needs to be strengthened" , recognized Justin Trudeau.
In Quebec, the province most affected by the pandemic, as in Ontario, several hundred soldiers have been called in as reinforcement in certain retirement homes.