COVID-19 Updates

Excerpt from The Vancouver Sun:

The B.C. emergency benefit is only available for those who are B.C. residents, have met the eligibility requirements for the CERB, and have been approved for the CERB, even if they have not received a benefit yet.

They must also be at least 15 years old, agree to file a 2019 B.C. income tax return, and not be receiving provincial income assistance or disability assistance.

Starting May 1, applications can be made online at gov.bc.ca/workerbenefit

On April 22, 2020, the Prime Minister announced a new Canada Emergent Student Benefit. According to CTV News: 

“The benefit will see eligible postsecondary students receive $1,250 a month from May to August, and if you are taking care of someone else or have a disability, that amount increases to $1,750 monthly.

College and university students currently in school, planning to start in September, or who graduated in December 2019 are eligible.

As well, working students earning less than $1,000 per month can apply.”

Starting April 27, 2020, Canadian employers who have been affected by COVID-19 may be eligible for a subsidy of 75% of employee wages for up to 12 weeks, retroactive from March 15, 2020, to June 6, 2020. 

In order to qualify to receive the subsidy, the employer must be an eligible employer, have experienced an eligible revenue reduction and have had a CRA payroll account on March 15, 2020.

As of April 20, 2020, the Supreme Court will expand what civil and family matters can be heard by Telephone Conference Hearing to non-urgent or essential matters, that were already scheduled during the suspension period. 

Starting on April 20th, 2020, all air passengers in Canada have to wear non-medical masks or a face covering that goes over their mouth and nose. Passengers are required to cover their mouth and nose:

• At Canadian airport screening checkpoints
• During a flight when they cannot physically distance from others, or as directed by the airline employees; and
• When directed to do so by a public health order or public health official

For more information on these new rules see Transport Canada. For information on how to use non-medical face masks and coverings see HERE. 

Police and other enforcement officers will now be able to enforce orders under the Emergency Program Act and issue fines of $2,000, focusing on price gouging and the resellign of medical and other essential equipment. 

A new resource for BC Businesses. Connecting businesses with the resources and guidance necessary to navigate challenges due to COVID-19.

Details should be released soon but the program will help businesses pay rent for three months. Prime Minister Trudeau also announced that they are expanding the eligibility of the business loan program.

See related COVID-19 question: I own a business and have lost revenue due to COVID-19? Is there any support available?

In order to help more Canadians access the help they need, eligibility rules for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) have been expanded:

• Allows people who are earning up to $1000 to receive CERB money
• Extends CERB to seasonal workers who have exhausted EI benefits and cannot return to seasonal work due to COVID-19
• Extends the CERB to workers who have exhausted EI benefits and can no longer go to work or find work as a consequence of COVID-19 

For more information, see: How can I apply for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit?

The BC Temporary Rental Supplement Program (BC-TRS) can provide up to $500 a month to help for eligible renters. The rental supplements are for April, May and June 2020. It will cover part of the rent for low- and moderate-income renters who have lost income as a result of COVID-19. Payments are made directly to the landlords of eligible households. To learn more about the program see www.bchousing.org/BCTRS and to apply see here.