The COVID-19 pandemic has affected countless Manitobans. People in our community have lost their jobs, suffered pay cuts and struggled to make ends meet. This time hasn’t been easy for many but there are supports and resources available to ease some of the financial burden.
If you applied for the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) and don’t know what to do next, we’ll walk you through your options for financial support. If you need to get a new vehicle quickly, we’ll also tell you about our loan programs, affordable vehicle options and how we can help, even if you have less than perfect credit.
Finances during the pandemic
Near the beginning of the pandemic, the Government of Canada introduced the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) to support Canadians who were directly affected by the pandemic. If you were eligible for CERB, you could receive $2,000 over a four-week period. Unfortunately, the CERB benefit has closed, though there are many opportunities for other benefits and additional financial support.
What happens after CERB?
If you were receiving CERB, you may be eligible for one of the following new recovery benefits. These benefits are retroactive to September 27, 2020 and available until September 25, 2021.
Here’s what you could be eligible for.
Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB)
This benefit provides eligible workers with $500 per week (taxable) for up to 26 weeks, paid in two-week periods. This benefit is eligible for those who:
- Are not employed or self-employed due to COVID-19 and who are not eligible for EI
- Had their employment/self-employment income reduced by at least 50% due to COVID-19
Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB)
This benefit provides eligible households $500 per week (taxable) for up to 26 weeks for workers unable to work for at least 50% of the week due to caring for a child under 12 or family member because either:
- Schools, daycare or care facilities are closed due to COVID-19
- Child or family member is sick and/or required to quarantine or at high risk of serious health complications because of COVID-19
The benefit is paid weekly.
Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB)
This benefit provides eligible workers $500 per week (taxable) for up to a maximum of two weeks for those who are unable to work for at least 50% of the week because they:
- Contracted COVID-19
- Self-isolated for reasons related to COVID-19
- Have underlying health conditions
- Are undergoing treatments or have contracted other sicknesses that medical professionals have suggested will make them more susceptible to COVID-19
This benefit is paid weekly.
Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS)
This benefit provides Canadian businesses, non-profit organizations or charities with a subsidy if they’ve seen a drop in revenue due to the pandemic. The benefit has run since September 27, 2020 and will continue until June 2021. Renters and property owners willl recieve the base subsidy directly and may be eligible for lockdown support if their business is affected by a public health order for a week or more.
Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS)
If you are a Canadian employer who’s seen a drop in revenue during the pandemic, you may be eligible for a subsidy to cover part of your employee wages (retroactive to March 15, 2020), re-hire workers and prevent further job loss.
How Birchwood Credit can help
We understand the pandemic has affected everyone differently and people of all ages have struggled in some way or another. The pandemic has also impacted how a lot of people view transportation. More people are hesitating to take public transport since they are worried about their safety.
That being said, there are people from all walks of life who may need a vehicle right now but are unsure if they can afford it. Whether you haven’t had a chance to build your credit, need a new car for your family, are wanting to downgrade your vehicle for retirement or if you simply have less than perfect credit, our team can help you get into an affordable vehicle.
In-house financing
Something we hear from a lot of our customers is they aren’t sure they’ll be approved for financing through their bank or financial institution.
One of the things that allows us to give you the best deals on your new vehicle is that we offer in-house financing. But what does this mean for you?
More approvals. Since we lend our own money, we have more control and are able to approve more customers. Even if you have less than perfect credit, we will get you approved.
Better rates and repayment terms. We have complete automony over the money we lend and are able to give our customers better rates that are tailored to their specific financial situation.
We accept all credit types. Even if your credit isn’t where you want it to be, we’ll get you approved so you can start rebuilding your credit using your car payments. We look at your entire financial situation when making a decision, not just your credit score.
Better vehicle selection. When you work with us, you’ll have access to vehicles from all Birchwood dealerships.
Car loans for less than perfect credit
At Birchwood Credit, we specialize in helping people with less than perfect credit purchase a vehicle. We understand the challenges that come with being in a difficult financial situation and are here to help you through the process.
Here’s how our process is easy and hassle-free:
- You can apply easily online in less than three minutes
- We don’t require your SIN to get started
- We only ask for basic contact details, place of residence and basic employment information
- We talk with you and keep you in the loop through the process
COVID-19 has made it especially hard on Manitobans to maintain good credit and stable finances. If your financial situation and credit score aren’t where you want them to be, don’t worry. We will find an affordable vehicle and payment plan that works with your unique financial situation. We’ll even give you some tips for rebuilding your credit so you can get back on your financial feet.
We’re here to help
Our team is always here to answer your credit questions and talk about your vehicle options. We are now at four locations throughout Winnipeg on Salter, Nairn, Portage (in the Pointe West AutoPark) and Chevrier, our newest office. You can also check out our blog posts to learn how someone with bad credit can get a loan and other helpful tips on rebuilding your credit.
We’ve reopened our offices and our team at Birchwood Credit has introduced new ways to help our customers shop safely during this unusual time.
Fill out an online Car Loan Application to get started with one of our experts today.
