Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister listens in as Minister Heather Stefanson speaks at the Manitoba Legislature in Winnipeg, Tuesday, November 7, 2017. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods)
WINNIPEG — Frontline caregivers in Manitoba will receive a temporary wage top-up through a new provincial program announced on Friday.
The $35 million Caregiver Wage Support Program will see more than 20,000 full-time and part-time Manitobans receive an hourly $5 top-up to their wages.
The program applies to health-care aides, housekeeping staff, direct service workers and recreation workers working on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Every day, thousands of Manitoba workers make our province a better place by showing compassion, care and dedication as they support some of our most vulnerable citizens, such as seniors, people with disabilities, children in care and people at homeless shelters,” said Families Minister Heather Stefanson.
“Their commitment has not wavered, despite the challenges and fears caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The wage top-up will be based on the number of hours worked between November 1, 2020, and January 10, 2021. Two intake periods will close on December 14, 2020, and January 18, 2021. The program benefit will be paid directly to workers by the province in the week after each intake period closes. To qualify, workers must earn a regular wage of $25 per hour or less.
The Manitoba government is cost-sharing the program with the federal government, which will provide $17 million. The province will make up the remainder of the program’s cost at $18 million.
Information on how workers can register is available at Manitoba.ca.
