COVID-19 Updates


ACTRA will be updating this page regularly with information related to the COVID-19 pandemic as it becomes available. Please check back frequently for updates.

NEW: THE LAW & VACCINE MANDATES TOWN HALL
ACTRA hosted a virtual Town Hall on Wednesday, June 8, 2022, during which legal experts discussed employer considerations in balancing safety with employee privacy and other legal obligations. Click here to read a transcript of this Town Hall discussion.

SAFETY ON SET RESOURCES


As conditions on each set or workplace vary, members should contact their ACTRA Branch directly with any questions.

As production resumes across the country, provinces and industry stakeholders are releasing return-to-work health & safety guidelines for the screen-based media production sector:

ACTRA Branch Guidelines:
UBCP/ACTRA
ACTRA Alberta
ACTRA Manitoba
ACTRA Toronto
ACTRA Montreal

Provincial Guidelines:
British Columbia
Alberta
Saskatchewan
Manitoba
Ontario
Quebec
New Brunswick
Nova Scotia
Prince Edward Island
Newfoundland/Labrador

Industry Guidelines:
DGA, SAG-AFTRA, IATSE & Teamsters (USA)
Industry-Wide Labor-Management Safety Committee Task Force (USA)
International Federation of Actors (FIA)

GOVERNMENT INCOME SUPPORT

Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB): this benefit provides $500/week ($450 after taxes withheld) of paid sick leave to any worker in Canada who falls ill or has to self-isolate due to COVID-19. If your situation continues past 1 week, you will need to apply again. Individuals cannot apply for periods that are closed, and may not claim this benefit and another sick leave payment at the same time. NEW The CRSB ended on May 7, 2022. If you are eligible, you can only apply for open CRSB periods, up to 60 days after each period has ended. The last period for the CRSB is period 84 (May 1 to 7, 2022), which will be open for application until July 6, 2022.

Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB): this benefit provides $500/week ($450 after taxes withheld) to Canadians who must stay home to care for a child under 12 or another dependent because their school, daycare or other day program facility is shut down due to COVID-19. If your situation continues past 1 week, you will need to apply again. Individuals who choose to keep their children home even though the facility is open will not qualify unless they provide proof there is a medical reason to do so such as an immunodeficiency disorder. NEW The CRCB ended on May 7, 2022. If you are eligible, you can only apply for open CRCB periods, up to 60 days after each period has ended. The last period for the CRCB is period 84 (May 1 to 7, 2022), which will be open for application until July 6, 2022.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Is ACTRA open?
Yes, ACTRA remains at work servicing the needs of our members across the country. ACTRA staff are working remotely and continue to respond to phone calls or E-mails from members to support them through this difficult time. ACTRA remains at work servicing the needs of our members across the country and staff can be reached through their E-mail, voicemail or our general inquiry line at 416-489-1311 or E-mail at actra@actra.ca.
Will I be paid if I had work cancelled?
Our various agreements contain language as it applies to the cancellation of work or rescheduling of days. If you have had work cancelled during this time, we ask that you contact your local ACTRA branch so we may address each situation on a case-by-case basis, per the terms of the appropriate agreement.
Are projects still in production?
Production is slowly reopening across Canada with strict health and safety measures in place. For a list of what’s currently in production, please contact your ACTRA Branch or visit your Branch’s What’s shooting page.
Is it safe to go to work?
Given the current situation, ACTRA requires all productions create and abide by a Health & Safety protocol that meets or exceeds the standards of the Branch’s Best Practices Guideline and/or any provincially mandated requirements. These standards are meant to ensure the health and safety of every person in all work environments, be it at an audition, on set or in studio. When working, feel free to verify these standards are being maintained and if you have any concerns, contact your Business Rep immediately. And remember – at no time are you expected to continue working in an environment if you feel your health and safety are at risk! Click here to download a copy of ACTRA’s advisory.
Where can I get help if I have anxiety about returning to work?
No one can anticipate how they might feel while living and attempting to work during a global pandemic. Anxiety over health concerns is real. Immediate counselling and support is available through HAVEN Helpline. While working, productions are responsible for ensuring a safe work environment. If you have any concerns about your safety and the work conditions on set, safety concerns should first be reported to the Production:
  • If your concerns are related to COVID-19, there will be a designated person responsible for enforcing the production’s COVID-19 health and safety policy. Check the call sheet for their contact information.
  • If your issue concerns an intimate scene, assistance may be available from the intimacy coordinator if one has been engaged by the production.
  • If this is an emergency, you have the right to refuse unsafe work. Provincial workplace health and safety legislation gives workers the right to refuse work they believe is unsafe to themselves or others. Workers who believe they are endangered by workplace violence may also refuse work. Please see your provincial workplace health and safety guidelines for the specific procedures to follow to establish a work refusal.
  • You can also contact your ACTRA Branch or call HAVEN Helpline (1-855-201-7823) for assistance.

MEMBER RESOURCES

Government of Canada: COVID-19 Information

Financial Resources
AFBS
The AFC
Canada Media Fund (Assistance Programs Directory)
Creative Arts Financial
Canada Black Mutual Aid Fund
Glad Day Lit Emergency Fund for LGBTQ2S artists, performers, tip-based workers
Inside Out’s RE:Focus Fund
MBT

Health & Wellness Resources
Anxiety Canada
HAVEN Helpline
Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic
Calltime Mental Health
Canadian Mental Health Association
Depression and the pandemic – a deep dive
Ending Violence Association of Canada
How to wear a non-medical mask or face covering properly
Mental Health Commission of Canada
Prevention Link COVID resources
ShelterSafe
WellCan
Wellness Together Canada

Other Resources
Actsafe
Broadbent Institute
Canada Council for the Arts
Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre – COVID-19 Fraud
Canadian Labour Congress
Cultural Human Resources Council (CHRC)
National Film Board of Canada (Education Resources)
Telefilm Canada (Event Updates and Industry Resources)
Toronto & York Region Labour Council