Federal government’s improved rent subsidy program!

Good news: you can now apply for the federal government’s improved rent subsidy program!

What is the new program?

The Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS) will reimburse eligible businesses up to 65% of their rent expenses, depending on how much revenue they’ve lost as a result of COVID-19.
If you’ve been forced to close your doors by a public health order, you could also qualify for a top-up, bringing your subsidy to 90%.

How much am I eligible for?

It depends on how much revenue you have lost and whether you own or rent the building. Check out our CERS website to better understand how the subsidy is calculated. You can also use CRA’s CERS calculator to find out how much you qualify for.
Please note that you can apply for the subsidy retroactively to September 24, so make sure you get everything you are eligible for!

How do I apply?

You can apply in two ways:

• CRA's My Business Account
• CRA’s Represent a Client

Unlike CECRA, it does not require your landlord’s involvement, so it is much more accessible.


The Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS) provides easy-to-access rent and mortgage support direct to eligible renters and property owners until June 2021.

Latest Update - November 23rd, 2020: The new CERS and Lockdown Support supports are open for applications. Apply through the CRA for claim period 1: September 27th to October 24th.

What is the Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS)?This financial support replaces the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) program. CERS helps businesses, charities, and non-profits that have suffered a revenue drop due to COVID-19. It subsidizes a percentage of your expenses, on a sliding scale, up to a maximum of 65 per cent of eligible expenses until June, 2021. Hard-hit businesses subject to a lockdown could receive rent support of up to 90 per cent.

There is no minimum revenue drop required to qualify for the subsidy.
CERS delivers:

• Direct, targeted, and accessible rent support to qualifying organizations, without the need to go through your landlord
• A subsidy for eligible fixed property expenses
• A new, additional Lockdown Support of 25 per cent for businesses affected by a public health order.

Apply through the CRA

If you have set up direct deposit, you can generally expect to receive your payment 3-8 days after filing your claim.

Who is Eligible?
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This subsidy will provide payments directly to qualifying renters and property owners, without requiring the participation of landlords.

To be eligible, you must:

• Be an eligible B.C. business, charity, or non-profit (eligible entity), or an "affiliated entity"
• Have experienced a drop in revenue due to COVID-19. There is no minimum revenue drop required to qualify for the subsidy.
• Have a qualifying property with specific related expenses

Get full eligibility details.

What is Lockdown Support?

The CERS program includes a new, additional Lockdown Support of 25 per cent for businesses that must shut their doors or significantly limit their activities under a public health order issued under the laws of Canada, a province or territory (including orders made by a municipality or regional health authority under one of those laws).
Combined, this would mean that hard-hit businesses subject to a lockdown could receive rent support of up to 90 per cent.

See more about Lockdown Support eligibility and subsidy amounts.

Eligible Expenses

You can apply for a portion of eligible expenses relevant to each claim period for each qualifying property.
A qualifying property is one that you:

• Own or rent, and
• Use in the course of your ordinary business activities

For each claim period, you can claim eligible expenses up to:

• $75,000 per business location (base subsidy and top-up Lockdown Support)
• $300,000 in total for all locations (including any amounts claimed by affiliated businesses)

Get full details of eligible expenses.

Calculating Your Subsidy

Use the Government of Canada CERS calculator to find out how much your rent subsidy may be. The calculation takes into account:

• Eligible expenses you may claim up to the stated maximums above
• Your base rent subsidy rate based on your revenue drop 
• Your top-up (lockdown support) eligibility and rate

Calculate your rent subsidy.

Important DatesA CERS application must be filed no later than 180 days after the end of a claim period. This support program is due to end in June, 2021.

• Claim period 1: September 27th to October 24th, 2020
• Claim period 2: October 25th to November 21st, 2020 (upcoming)
• Claim period 3: November 22nd to December 19th, 2020 (upcoming)

Learn more about the CERS claim periods.

Useful Resources

• Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS)
• How to Apply
• Subsidy Calculator
• Technical Guidance