COVID-19 Updates

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  • Expansion of BC’s Virtual Mental Health Programs

    Source:
    BC Government
    Date:
    April 9, 2020

    The BC government announced it will be setting aside $5 million to expand mental health services during the pandemic.

    For information on mental health supports available to British Columbians during COVID-19 see here.

  • Easing of requirements for the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy

    Source:
    Government of Canada
    Date:
    April 8, 2020

    Prime Minister Trudeau announced changes to the requirements for businesses to show revenue loss to qualify for the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy.  The Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy is to provide companies up to 75% of employees’ salaries, up to $847 a week per employee for 12 weeks, retroactively to March 15, 2020. Businesses can now show a 30% drop in revenue from January or February instead of comparing to revenue from last April. If businesses use March to compare revenue, they only need to show a 15% drop.

    For more details see here.

  • New Measures in Place for Returning British Columbians

    Source:
    BC Government
    Date:
    April 8, 2020

    Those returning to BC will need to provide a self-isolation plan for approval. Self-isolation plans can be submitted online or upon arrival.  Emergency Management BC will help travellers with necessary food deliveries, prescription drugs and other supplies so people can safely self-isolate for 14 days. For more information and guidance on these measures see here.

  • New Support for Canada Summer Jobs Program

    Source:
    Government of Canada
    Date:
    April 8, 2020

    The government announced temporary changes to the Canada Summer Jobs Program. Now, employers who hire summer students can apply for a subsidy of up to 100% of the provincial or territorial hourly minimum wage.

    For more information see here.

  • BC Parks Announces all Provincial Parks are Closed

    Source:
    BC Parks
    Date:
    April 8, 2020

    BC Parks is immediately closing the entire BC Parks system, including all parks, protected areas, conservancies, recreation areas, and ecological reserves. All camping (front and backcountry) is now banned until May 31st, 2020. For more information see www.BCParks.ca/covid-19

  • Applications for Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) now open

    Source:
    Government of Canada
    Date:
    April 7, 2020

    As of April 6, 2020 Canadians that qualify can apply for CERB. The government is asking people to apply on days of the week according to birth month.  Mondays: January-March, Tuesdays: April-June, Wednesdays: July-September, Thursdays: October-December, Friday-Sunday: Any month.  

    There are two ways to apply:

    1. Online
    2. Over the phone with an automated phone service:
      1-800-959-2019 or 1-800-959-2041

    For more information see HERE

  • Reduced Sailings and New Screening for BC Ferries

    Source:
    BC Ferries
    Date:
    April 7, 2020

    For any new routes longer than 30 minutes, BC Ferries will screen all travellers for symptoms and restrict travel to those that do not meet the screening requirement, to comply with federal guidelines.  A new schedule of ferry sailings is up with a reduced number of sailings. Automatic refunds will be issued for anyone already booked on a cancelled sailing. 

    See BC Ferries for more information on these changes.

  • BC Transit Extending Fare Suspension

    Source:
    BC Transit
    Date:
    April 7, 2020

    BC Transit is extending their rear door boarding practice to April 30. Fares or monthly passes will not need to be purchased for the month of April. Details about refunds for March and April fares will be announced when regular fare collection is reestablished. See www.bctransit.com/COVID19 for more information.

  • Stanley Park closed to all vehicles

    Source:
    City of Vancouver
    Date:
    April 7, 2020

    The Vancouver Park Board will be closing Stanley Park to all vehicles starting Wednesday, April 8 in an effort to reduce the number of people in the park and to enable physical distancing. It is the latest in a series of measures the Park Board has taken in recent weeks to reduce the risk of the COVID-19 pandemic to the public.

  • New BC assistance for people on disability and income assistance.

    Source:
    BC Government
    Date:
    April 2, 2020

    The BC government announced it is increasing the monthly amount that people on income and disability assistance receive by $300, to help them during the COVID-19 crisis.

    Anyone on those programs who is not eligible for the federal government's emergency support programs will have the supplement automatically added to their cheques for three months, starting April 22.