As you know, none of us chose to shut the economy down to prevent the spread of the virus. It was the result of a decision made by our government. I think we had to find a way to quickly get benefits to workers. The creation of the CERB and the portal the public sector workers were able to develop to deliver that at such a speed was actually monumental for the country. We owe them and the government a debt of gratitude for how quickly this was developed.
The reality is that the CERB is a unique benefit. It is not where some workers, if they were able to collect EI, would be. Some may be higher and some may be lower, but the reality is that it struck a balance. I think the millions of workers who are getting it today are very honoured that you give them a monthly amount that they can rely upon to meet their needs.
As the economy continues to reopen, we're going to have to find a way to deal with this benefit and the challenges that might come at the end. As you know, not all workers will be going back to work in the short term, so the CERB has served a really useful purpose. I think everybody needs to be complimented for the work done and the support given. There were also some adjustments brought to the program to allow people to work and for those who are taking the risk and going to work to earn an amount above the CERB. I think that's been good. We may still have to make some changes as we go forward.
On the wage subsidy program, the expansion to cover 75% of wages up to a threshold of $800-something per week has been a good decision. It has made sure that at the end of the day most employees can stay attached to their workplace with their employer rather than being laid off. We've seen a number of companies reverse their initial decision to lay off their workers. They could keep their workers on the payroll. The government has expanded the wage subsidy program to stay open until the fall, and we're going to continue to encourage some of the employers who are currently in that program to maintain those workers on their payroll because it's better for workers to have the attachment and equally the security of knowing that they still have a job. They're not completely laid off from their employment and they might be going back to work.