Links to programs to help members affected by Covid-19.
1) BC Hydro COVID-19 Relief Fund for residential customers
3) The BC Temporary Rental Supplement Program - BC Housing
4) Financial Institutions - Covid-19
For member/clients who have had income losses, there are programs offering deferrals, and reduced interest, or no interest.
If you know of any programs that we have missed, please send us an This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to let us know.
The following information provided by: http://bowinmwmla.ca/covid19/supports/
Highlighted items indicate new/updated this week. (Last Update: April 16, 2020)
| HOUSING | ||
| ⚡ BC Hydro | BC Hydro is halting all service disconnections for non-payment of bills and reducing electricity rates by 1%. | |
| COVID-19 Relief Fund applies a 3-month credit to your BC Hydro account for eligible customers (avg credit will be $477). | Applications will be accepted until June 30 (no rush to apply). Apply online. | |
| COVID-19 Customer Assistance Program offers bill deferral and payment plans for customers struggling due to impacts of COVID-19. | Customer Assistance: Call 1-800-BC-HYDRO | |
| Customer Crisis Fund is an existing program that grants of up to $600 off your energy bill. | Apply online. | |
| INCOME & PERSONAL SUPPORTS FOR PEOPLE | ||
| 💵 Workforce | Unlimited, unpaid job-protected leave for workers who are unable to work for reasons relating to COVID-19, retroactive to Jan 27, 2020. As a permanent change, workers now also have three days of unpaid, job-protected leave each year for people who cannot work due to illness or injury. | |
| Employment Insurance (EI): If you have stopped working because of COVID-19, you should apply for CERB whether or not you are eligible for Employment Insurance. | 🍁Apply online via CERB. | |
| EI Sickness Benefit: One-week waiting period has been waived. | 🍁Apply online via CERB. | |
| Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) provides $2000/month to workers impacted due to COVID-19, including contractors and self-employed people. *Important: CERB eligibility has been expanded to include seasonal workers, those whose EI benefits have recently expired, and workers making less than $1000/month. | 🍁Apply online. | |
| BC Emergency Benefit provides a one-time additional tax-free payment of $1000 to those on EI or CERB. | Check back for application instructions. | |
| 👨👧 Low- and moderate- income households | GST-credit will provide an additional one-time boost for eligible individuals in April. Benefit is paid out according to your income tax return. | 🍁 More info here. |
| Climate Action Tax Credit will provide an additional one-time boost of up to $564 for eligible families of 4 and $218 for eligible individuals in an enhanced payment in July. Children under 18 years old must be registered for the CCB to qualify. No other action is needed; benefit is paid out according to your income tax return. | More info here. | |
| 👪 Families with children | Canada Child Benefit (CCB) provides one-time boost of up to $300 per child in May. | 🍁No action if you are already registered for CCB. Otherwise, apply online. |
| Emergency Child Care Funding provides child care providers with emergency government funding on the condition that they not charge parents fees for any periods of closure or for vacant spaces and must reserve spaces for families, starting April. | Check with your provider to see if they are in this program. | |
| Temporary Emergency Child Care available for essential service workers. Use the child care matching service for kids aged 0-5, otherwise contact your school directly for school aged kids. | 1-888-338-6622 or register online for kids 0-5. Otherwise, contact your school. |
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| Children and Youth with Special Needs (CYSN) services are available to families with greater flexibility. Emergency Relief Support Fund will also provide eligible families with direct payments of $225/month for three months. | More info here. | |
| 🎓 Post-Secondary Students | Emergency Assistance available for students at public post-secondary institutions. Non-repayable funds can be used to help with a broad range of costs, including living expenses, food, travel, portable computers and other supports for students who are not already able to study remotely. | Contact your school’s financial aid office to apply. See backgrounder for contact list. |
| Indigenous Emergency Assistance Fund available for Indigenous students at public post-secondary institutions can apply for non-repayable emergency assistance that can be used to help with a broad range of costs, including living expenses, groceries, cell phone bills, childcare, medical, dental, optical, and travel costs for family crisis or community obligations. | Contact the Indigenous Student Service Centre on campus. See backgrounder for contact list. | |
| BC Student Loans repayments paused for six months without penalty, starting April. | Repayment will be paused automatically. | |
| Canada Student Loans repayments paused for six months without penalty, starting April. | 🍁Repayment will be paused automatically. | |
| Here2Talk provides free, confidential mental-health counselling and referral service for post-secondary students by app, phone, or online chat, 24-7. | Call 1-877-857-3397 to speak with a counsellor or get more information online. | |
| 💵 People on Income Assistance | – Full exemption of CERB or EI for three months (no clawback). – COVID-19 Crisis Supplement of additional $300/month for three months for those who do not qualify for federal emergency supports like CERB or EI. – “Work search” requirement for those on Income Assistance is suspended for now. |
No action required, support boosts will be applied to next payments automatically. More info here. |
| ♿ People on Disability Assistance | – Full exemption of CERB or EI for three months (no clawback). – COVID-19 Crisis Supplement of additional $300/month for three months for those who do not qualify for federal emergency supports like CERB or EI. – Those on BC Bus Pass Program will receive their $52 transportation supplement back in cash. |
No action required, support boosts will be applied to next payments automatically. More info here. |
| 👵 Seniors | COVID-19 Crisis Supplement: Low-income seniors who receive the B.C. Senior’s Supplement will receive an additional $300/month boost for three months. | No action required, support boosts will be applied to next payments automatically. More info here. |
| Existing federal programs continue to be available, including: – Canada Pension Plan Retirement Pension – Canada Pension Plan Disability Benefit – Old Age Security (OAS): $614/mo (max) – Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS): $916/mo (max) – Allowance / Allowance for Survivor: $1389/mo (max) |
🍁 Eligible seniors can apply online if they are not already enrolled. | |
| Registered Retirement Income Funds (RRIFs): Minimum withdrawals from Registered Retirement Income Funds (RRIFs) has been reduced by 25% for 2020. | 🍁 Learn more here. | |
| bc211 is available for seniors who need support with non-medical essentials, like grocery pick-up and drop off. | Call 2-1-1 or visit online. | |
| MISC SUPPORTS FOR PEOPLE | ||
| 🚗 Automobile | Auto insurance can be renewed by email or phone. | Contact your broker. |
| ICBC auto insurance: – Monthly payment deferral for ICBC auto insurance is available for up to 90 days with no penalty. – Contact your broker to change your coverage and lower premiums to reflect changes in how much you drive and the related risk. – Cancellation fees are waived for those who wish to cancel their insurance during this time. – Customers may use their vehicles for the delivery of food or medical products and services, without changing their insurance (vehicle use) or paying a higher premium. This includes people volunteering to help deliver groceries or other essential supplies to seniors and other people in need. |
Call 1-800-665-6442 or view more info. | |
| ICBC driver licensing: – Remote extensions for driver licensing available. All requests for medical information temporarily postponed. – People whose learner driver’s licences (class 5-8) expire during the pandemic will not have to pay a fee for their first knowledge test after their learner driver’s licence expires, once testing resumes. |
Call 1-800-950-1498. | |
| Parking is free of charge at all health authority owned/operated health care sites like hospitals, clinics, long-term care centres, etc. | For staff, patients, and visitors only. | |
| ⚖️ Justice | Limitation periods to commence court proceedings have been suspended. | |
| Civil Resolution Tribunal deadlines extended; fees waived for those struggling financially. | Apply via Fee Waiver Request Form. | |
| 🧘 Mental Health | Access to free and low-cost virtual mental health services has been expanded across BC for adults, seniors, and youth. Front-line health care workers experiencing distress and mental health concerns in response to COVID-19 now also have access to increased mental health services. | Full list of available services here. |
| New BC COVID-19 mental health self-assessment tool will be available April 20. | Check back on April 20. | |
| VictimLink BC provides immediate 24/7 crisis support for victims of family or sexual violence is available by phone through VictimLink BC’s 24/7 telephone service. | Call 1-800-564-0808 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more info. | |
| Here2Talk provides free, confidential mental-health counselling and referral service for post-secondary students by app, phone, or online chat, 24-7. | Call 1-877-857-3397 to speak with a counsellor or get more information online. | |
| 🚌 Public Transit | TransLink: Fare-free boarding on all buses. Enter through rear of the bus, unless accessible loading is required. July 1 fare increase is deferred indefinitely. Service reductions in effect: check online before you go. | |
| BC Transit: Fare-free boarding on all buses. Enter through rear of the bus, unless accessible loading is required. | ||
| 🧾 Taxes | Filing due date for Income Tax Return is deferred to June 1. Payments owed are deferred until after August 31. | 🍁 |
| ✈️ Travel | Repatriation assistance and Emergency Travel Loan of $5000 available to Canadians who are abroad. | 🍁Dial +1 613-996-8885 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. |
| British Columbians returning home must self-isolate for 14 days. Emergency Management BC and Service BC will provide support to enable compliance. | More info. | |
| BUSINESSES | ||
| ⚡ BC Hydro | BC Hydro is halting all service disconnections for non-payment of bills and reducing electricity rates by 1%. | |
| COVID-19 Relief Fund waives electricity charges for up to three months for small businesses that needed to close due to COVID-19. | Applications will be accepted between April 13 – June 30 (no rush to apply). Check back for link when available. | |
| COVID-19 Customer Assistance Program offers bill deferral and payment plans for customers struggling due to impacts of COVID-19. | Customer Assistance: Call 1-800-BC-HYDRO | |
| 💵 Business Credit Availability Program (BCAP) | Canada Emergency Business Account(CEBA): Loans of up to $40,000 for small businesses and not-for-profits, interest-free for one year. A portion may be forgivable. Eligibility has been expanded to include companies with 2019 payrolls of between $20,000 and $1.5 million. Available mid-April. | 🍁Speak with your financial institution. Learn more. |
| Loan Guarantee: Operating credit and cash flow term loans of up to $6.25 million to SMEs. Available mid-April. | 🍁Speak with your financial institution. Learn more. | |
| Co-Lending Program: Co-lend term loans to SMEs for their operational cash flow requirements. Eligible businesses may obtain incremental credit amounts of up to $6.25 million through the program. Available mid-April. | 🍁Speak with your financial institution. Learn more. | |
| 🏪 Commercial leases | Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) to be created. More details to come. |
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| 🚗 ICBC | Fleet vehicle customers may suspend their insurance during COVID-19. | More info. |
| 💵 Wage subsidies | Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) covers up to 75% of wages for businesses, charities, and non-profits that have lost more than 25% of their revenue. Max subsidy of $847 per week per employee, from March 15 – June 6. Qualifying employers may also be eligible for 100% refunds on certain employer-paid contributions to EI and CPP. |
🍁When available eligible employers will be able to apply online via Canada Revenue Agency’s My Business Account. Learn more. |
| Temporary Wage Subsidy covers up to 10% of payroll for small businesses, not-for-profits, charities between March 18-June 19. Organizations that do not qualify for the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy may qualify for this program. | 🍁You do not need to apply for this subsidy; you reduce it from remittance to the CRA. Learn more. | |
| Canada Summer Jobs Program wage subsidy is increased to 100% of minimum wage. Eligibility for this program has also been relaxed. | 🍁More info. | |
| 👷 WorkSafeBC | Payment deadlines are postponed without penalty until June 30, except for employers that report on an annual basis (which do not need to report their 2020 payroll or pay their 2020 premiums until March 2021). | More info. |
| 🧾 Taxes | BC business tax payments deferred until after Sept 30: Employer health tax (EHT), provincial sales tax (PST), municipal and regional district tax, tobacco tax, motor fuel tax, and carbon tax. Scheduled April 1 increases to provincial carbon tax and PST are deferred. | More info. |
| School property tax rate for commercial properties reduced to achieve an average 25% reduction in the total property tax bill for most businesses. This enhances the 50% reduction to the provincial school property tax rate that was originally announced for classes 4, 5, and 6. |
More info. | |
| Late payment penalties will not apply for commercial properties in classes 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 until Oct. 1, 2020. | ||
| GST/HST payments owed deferred to June 30. | 🍁 | |
| Customs duties & taxes payments owed deferred to June 30. | 🍁 | |
| Income tax payments owed are deferred until after August 31. | 🍁 | |
| ⚠️ The BC Government has launched a single point of contact for businesses throughout the province looking for information on resources available during the COVID-19 pandemic. Advisors are available Monday to Friday, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 1 833 254-4357. Inquiries can also be This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or raised via live-chat. | ||
| INDUSTRY SUPPORTS BY SECTOR | ||
| ✈️ Airports | Rents paid on ground leases waived. | 🍁 |
| 🎭 Arts & Culture sector | $3-million Arts and Culture Resilience Supplement to give operating and eligible project clients a supplement of up to $15,000. Clients will receive a 50% advance on 2020-21 funding. | Via BC Arts Council. |
| 🎥 Broadcasting sector | CRTC Part I licence fees waived. | 🍁 |
| 🧸 Child care sector | Emergency funding is available for child care providers that stay open and that close. Wage enhancement of $2/hr in place for Early Childhood Educators (ECEs). | Learn more. |
| 🚜 Farmers and Agri-Food sector | Access to the $5 billion Farm Credit Canada loan program. | 🍁Via FCC. |
| Socio-economic and cultural supports for temporary foreign workers arriving for seasonal farm work while they self-isolate, including hotel and food costs. | Learn more. | |
| 🏡 Local governments | Responding to key concerns from local governments, the Government of BC is addressing cash flow and revenue shortfalls with new measures that provide additional support. |
Learn more. |
| 🎼 Musicians | Showcase BC is a new online hub that brings a variety of live performances, entertainment and content to British Columbians. Micro-grants of $500 to emerging artists and $2,000 to established artists for livestreaming, songwriting and professional development are also available. | Grants distributed via Creative BC. |
| 👵 Pension plan sponsors | Moratorium on solvency payment requirements for defined benefit plans through the remainder of 2020. | 🍁 |
| 📰 Publishing and news sectors | Simplified process for Canada Book Fund and Canada Periodical Fund. Journalism Tax Measures. | 🍁 |
| 🏞️ Tourism businesses in national parks and historic sites | Tourism operators in national parks, historic sites, and marine conservation areas will have payments on commercial leases and licences of occupation deferred without interest until September 1. | 🍁Wait to be contacted by Parks Canada. |
| 🚚 Truck drivers | More portable toilets are being installed to support truck drivers along routes where their usual facilities have closed. | |
| 🐚 Seafood sector | Seafood growers, shellfish farmers, and processors, will have access to the $5 billion Farm Credit Canada loan program. | 🍁Via FCC. |
| IMPROVED PROGRAMS DELIVERED BY CHARITIES & NOT-FOR-PROFITS | ||
| 👵 EquipCare BC | Provides enhanced infection prevention and control in long-term care and assisted living homes. Funds administered through the BC Care Providers Association (BCCPA). |
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| 🥫 Food Banks BC | Funding boost to Food Banks British Columbia, who will distribute the money among food banks province wide. | |
| 🧒🏼 Kids Help Phone | Funding boost to Kids Help Phone, which provides young people with mental health support. 🍁 | |
| 📚 Libraries | Enhanced funding for libraries to provide greater access to online resources. | |
| 👵 New Horizons for Seniors Program | Flexibility for organizations under the New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP) to use funding previously received through the community-based stream to provide immediate and essential services to seniors impacted by COVID-19 🍁 | |
| 👵 United Way Canada | Funding boost to United Way Canada for local organizations to support practical services to Canadian seniors, such as: Delivery of groceries, medications, or other needed items; or personal outreach to assess individuals’ needs and connect them to community supports. 🍁 | |
| ⚽ viaSport | Funding boost, through viaSport, to provincial, disability, and multi-sport organizations. | |
| This list has been curated to include improvements that are most likely to impact you directly. Some funding boosts may not be listed. | ||
Questions? For items marked “🍁”, contact your local MP. Otherwise, contact your local MLA.
Last updated Oct. 4, 2019.