Question Period Note: Support for Fish Harvesters in Canada

• The Fish Harvester Benefit and Grant programs to support self-employed fish harvesters in Canada affected by COVID-19 had a successful launch in late August and were open for eight weeks, until October 19, 2020.
• To date, the just over 18,100 successful applicants have received close to $130 million in payments through the two streams.
• The second payment under the Fish Harvester Benefit will be issued in the summer and fall of 2021, when actual self-employed fishing income losses from 2020 are known.

If pressed on Ministerial Statement:

• The COVID-19 pandemic is an evolving global challenge. We are committed to ensuring that our essential Canadian fisheries sector receives the support needed to continue to provide high-quality, sustainably sourced fish and seafood.
• From the outset of this crisis, our government has worked on an urgent basis to provide our fish harvesters and industry with the support they need.
• We are in close contact with our harvester, processor, Indigenous leadership, and other sector groups and communities to respond to their concerns and the economic challenges this pandemic poses.

• On May 14, 2020, the Prime Minister announced the creation of measures to support Canada’s fish harvesters who are feeling the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. These measures are the Fish Harvester Benefit and Fish Harvester Grant. The Grant Program to Support Self-employed Fish Harvesters in Canada Affected by COVID-19 had a successful launch in late August 2020 and was open for eight weeks, until October 19.
• DFO is working in close collaboration with Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) via Service Canada, to deliver this program.
• The Fish Harvester Benefit provides income support to self-employed fish harvesters and sharepersons. The benefit covers up to 75% of income losses beyond a 25% threshold for the 2020 tax year when compared to 2018 or 2019. The maximum benefit is $10,164.
• The Benefit is paid in two payments, one in 2020 (early 2021) based on attested information, and one in the fall of 2021 based on actual income losses in 2020 as per Canada Revenue Agency tax information.
• The Fish Harvester Grant is a non-repayable grant to self-employed fish harvesters with a valid commercial fishing licence in 2020 (issued by DFO or their Province or Territory for freshwater commercial harvesters). The Grant provides a maximum non-repayable support payment of up to $10,000, dependent on the level of the fish harvesters’ historic fishing revenue in 2018 or 2019. The Grant is paid in one payment, in 2020.
• To date, a total of 18,142 applicants have been paid out just over $130 million ($77 million from the Benefit and $53 million in Grant payments).
• While the program closed in October, the Department continues to work with applicants where DFO did not have sufficient information available to qualify them for this program upon initial application.
• Payments from the Fish Harvester Benefit and Grant Program are taxable and must be declared on harvesters 2020 income tax returns.
• Applicants who received the first payment of the Fish Harvester Benefit will need to make a second application in the summer of 2021 after they have a final Canada Revenue Agency assessed 2020 self-employed fishing income amount.
• Upon the second application, the harvester’s actual income losses in 2020 will be calculated and any outstanding Benefit payments will be made to the harvester.
• Failure to submit the second application during this period will result in the harvester being deemed ineligible to have received their first payment. This 1st payment would then be considered an overpayment that will have to be paid back to the Government of Canada.

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