The Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) was a federal income support program providing $2,000 monthly to Canadians who lost income due to COVID-19 during 2020. The program helped workers who lost jobs, saw hours drastically reduced, or couldn't work due to illness, caregiving responsibilities, or business closures. CERB represented an unprecedented federal response to economic crisis, delivering billions of dollars directly to Canadians rapidly. For municipalities, CERB reduced demand for local social services and food banks that would otherwise have been overwhelmed by mass unemployment. The program was replaced by modified Employment Insurance and Canada Recovery Benefits as the pandemic continued. CERB demonstrated federal capacity for rapid income support deployment but also raised questions about program design, adequacy, and the transition back to normal income support systems.