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Apr 6, 2020 4:27 PM -

Changes to emergency-relief program coming to expand eligibility : Trudeau

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addresses Canadians on the COVID-19 pandemic from Rideau Cottage in Ottawa on Friday, April 3, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says 240,000 people successfully applied for emergency relief in the first few hours after Ottawa opened the process.

Only people with birthdays in the first three months of the year can apply for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit today.

The benefit offers $500-a-week payments for workers who have lost all of their income.

Trudeau says changes to the program will come soon to offer help for people whose hours have been slashed but who are still working a little.

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