Local group helps Sudbury sex workers not eligible for the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit

Sex workers in Sudbury and across the country are experiencing a loss of income because of COVID-19. 

In other sectors, unemployed Canadians have been applying for and receiving the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit (CERB). 

While CERB was designed by the federal government to help people experiencing unemployment as a result of the pandemic, for many sex workers, that's not possible.

To qualify for the benefit, the Canadian government requires applicants to prove income of at least $5,000 in 2019 or in the 12 months prior to the date of the application. 

The income of at least $5,000 may be from any or a combination of the following sources: employment; self-employment; maternity and parental benefits under the EI program and/or similar benefits paid in Quebec under the Québec Parental Insurance Plan.

Women have lost access to income, within the context of their sex work, they are losing clients right now.— Tracy Gregory, the Sex Worker Advisory Network of Sudbury

Tracy Gregory, the executive director of the Sex Worker Advisory Network of Sudbury (SWANS) says often times, sex workers aren't able to show what they earn — because their work continues to be largely criminalized and stigmatized.

"Women have lost access to income, within the context of their sex work, they are losing clients right now because of people, you know, not wanting to contract the virus," Gregory said. 

'A one-time gift'

The inequity, she said, prompted her group alongside other advocacy organizations in the province, to distribute its own COVID-19 funding to sex workers in search of financial relief. 

The bulk of the money raised has come from Maggie's a Toronto-based sex workers' rights organization and the Asian and Migrant Sex Worker Support Network, Butterfly. 

"They both agreed to share that funding with SWANS, so that was a one-time gift," she said. 

This is the time when people need to be supported the most.— Tracy Gregory, the Sex Worker Advisory Network of Sudbury

"It was $5,000 dollars and we're giving out $100 supplements to folks who have lived experience in sex work." 

Gregory mentioned that through SWANS' own separate initiative, the group managed to raise $900 in early May to also go toward sex workers experiencing a loss of income during the pandemic.

So far, she said the COVID-19 relief funding has managed to help about 20 people.

"We're all community members and our community is only as well and healthy and strong as our most vulnerable citizens. So this is a community issue," she said.

"This is the time when people need to be supported the most."