Frontline workers who applied for the Risk Recognition Program will receive $1,377 after taxes this week.

In total, more than 78,000 Manitobans will receive an equal share in the $120 million the province has set aside for the program. As the payments are considered taxable income under federal tax rules, the province has remitted a 10 per cent withholding tax to the Canada Revenue Agency to help recipients when they file their 2020 income tax return.

"We want to thank front-line workers and acknowledge the sacrifices they made during the COVID-19 pandemic and the increased risks they faced on the job to provide crucial services," Premier Brian Pallister says. "We also appreciate Manitobans’ patience as we reviewed every application we received in order to determine final payment amounts."

Eligible positions included health care, social services, justice, security, transportation, food and beverage, hotels and essential retail. Payment recipients include 37,060 public-facing essential roles in retail services and lodging, 27,085 in health care, 9,325 in social services and 3,440 in transportation. The province based eligibility criteria on recommendations it received during extensive consultations with business and union representatives.

"Many working Manitobans were exposed to on-the-job risks they’d never experienced prior to the pandemic and we can’t thank them enough for the roles they played in supporting all Manitobans through this difficult time," Pallister says.

The Manitoba Risk Recognition Program was offered to workers employed on a part-time or full-time basis from March 2, the start of the provincial state of emergency, until May 29. Applicants must have either worked a minimum 200 cumulative hours, or would have worked that amount but were required to self-isolate under public health orders. An employee’s total pre-tax employment income during the eligibility period must be less than $12,500, excluding overtime wages, and they could not be enrolled in the federal Canada Emergency Response Benefit.