Some striking Dominion workers have begun receiving their share of federal money designed to top up pay for essential workers during the height of the pandemic.

Unifor Local 597 president Carolyn Wrice says workers started receiving the one-time payments on Friday as part of the federal Essential Worker Support Program.

Only workers deemed essential who were employed during Alert Levels 4 and 5 and have a maximum gross monthly income of $3,000 are eligible for the payments. On average, individual amounts have been around $1,000 after taxes.

Dominion workers had complained about delays in receiving the payments, with questions about when Dominion stores’ parent company Loblaws submitted the application to government.

Wrice, however, confirmed on Sunday that the money is now flowing.