By Canadian Press

Signs people will choose work over CERB in jobs data, Qualtrough says

Jun 22, 2020 | 12:00 PM

OTTAWA — Canada’s employment minister says the country’s most recent job figures suggest that low-wage workers will go back to a job if one is available instead of remaining on federal aid.

Carla Qualtrough says the growth in jobs from May gives her confidence that workers will choose to work when they get an offer and are able to do so.

Statistics Canada’s labour force survey for May showed that lower-wage jobs rebounded at a faster rate than the national rate as restrictions meant to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus started to ease.

Speaking at the Senate’s finance committee today, Qualtrough says the finding means people chose to work rather than keep receiving the $2,000-a-month Canada Emergency Response Benefit.

Still, she says the government is doing everything possible to retool pandemic-related aid programs like the CERB to help get workers and companies back on the job.

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Qualtrough also says the government does not know exactly what the country’s labour market will look like in the coming weeks and months, but is certain that some people won’t have jobs to return to.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 22, 2020.

The Canadian Press