Essential Information
- List of essential services for B.C.
- Full list of federal and provincial financial benefits
- You must follow Provincial Health Officer (PHO) orders. In a Provincial State of Emergency, the PHO can make orders as needed
News & Updates
- COVID-19 BC Gov Newsroom updates
- Government and Provincial Health Officer press conference videos
- Latest data on COVID-19 cases in B.C.
- Modelling and projections from press briefings
- Complete the COVID-19 questionnaire to share your ideas and input
Child Care, Children & Youth
- Parents who can should care for their children at home, child care provider fees will not be charged
- Essential services workers can be matched with temporary emergency child care in their community
- Temporary emergency funding is available for child care centres
- Emergency Relief Funding is available for families of children with special needs
Education
- K to 12 learning is suspended in all classrooms
- Online resources to help parents and caregivers to keep their children learning at home
- Most post-secondary education is now being delivered online
- B.C. student loan payments are frozen for six months until September 30, 2020
- The Government of Canada has paused the repayment of Canada Student Loans until September 30, 2020, with no accrual of interest
Employment & Finances
- Get ready to apply for the $1,000 B.C. Emergency Benefit for Workers, applications open May 1
- A one-time enhancement to the climate action tax credit will be paid in July 2020 for moderate to low-income families
- Employers must excuse workers for sickness without requiring a doctor’s note
- Taking unpaid, job-protected leave due to COVID-19
- Government of Canada support for workers
- WorkSafeBC resources for workers
- Emergency supports for people on income assistance, disability assistance, and low-income seniors
- Government of Canada support for the Canada Summer Jobs program
Businesses
- Supports and resources for businesses
- Are you a business that can supply products and services in support of COVID-19?
- Some provincial taxes have been deferred, delayed or reduced
- What you must do if employees fall ill, are absent from work or your business is unexpectedly disrupted
- Government of Canada support for businesses
- WorkSafeBC resources for employers
- BC Arts Council support for the arts and culture sector
- Support and resources for the agriculture sector and temporary foreign farmworker information
Housing & Monthly Bills
- Support for renters and landlords include a new temporary rental supplement, halting evictions and freezing rents
- Information for strata councils, owners and residents
- BC Housing has temporarily suspended evictions of tenants in subsidized and affordable housing
- BC Hydro customers can defer payments, access grants and receive three months of free credit to help pay their hydro bills
Transportation
- BC Ferries is operating at reduced capacity and advises against non-essential travel
- ICBC insurance renewals can now be done by phone or email
- ICBC has postponed road tests and all other assessments
- ICBC customers can defer monthly payments for up to 90 days
- BC Transit fares and passes are not required
- Translink fares and passes are not required on buses
- DriveBC travel restrictions for highways, rest areas and borders
Travel & Tourism
- All international travellers returning to B.C. are required by law to self-isolate for 14 days and complete a self-isolation plan
- Canadians who are abroad must register with the Government of Canada
- Global Affairs Canada is offering emergency loans for people abroad attempting to return to Canada
- The Canada-U.S. border is closed to all non-essential traffic
- Destination BC resources for the tourism industry
- BC Parks is temporarily closing access to all provincial parks which includes campgrounds and accommodations
Reduced Services
- Service BC centres remain open for core services
- Recreation Sites and Trails BC has suspended services and closed facilities in most locations
- FrontCounterBC has closed all in-person locations
- BC Liquor Stores remain open with reduced hours
- BC Cannabis Stores online orders must be collected from a post office
- Vital Statistics Vancouver office is closed
Being Prepared
- Learn how you can personally prepare to stay at home
- Tips for residents of apartments and other multi-unit buildings
- Learn how you can safely help others
- Volunteer to help seniors with basic needs
Health Care & Mental Health
- Post-secondary students can access free mental-health counselling 24 hours a day, seven days a week
- Seniors, adults, youth and frontline health care workers can access virtual mental health supports
- The MSP coverage wait period is waived and temporary coverage is available
- 5 steps to manage COVID-19 stress, anxiety and depression
