The B.C. government announces measures to support individuals, families, communities and businesses amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
March 2020
- B.C. declares state of emergency. Read more
- Support for child care providers. Read more
- $5 billion in income supports, tax relief and direct funding for people, businesses and services. Read more
- Changes to the Employment Standards Act to protect jobs amid leave. Read more
- New temporary rental supplement, evictions halt and rent freezes. Read more
- $50 million to bolster seniors’ supports at community service agencies. Read more
- $3 million emergency grant to Food Banks British Columbia. Read more
April 2020
- State of emergency extended to continue B.C.’s COVID-19 response. Read more
- New emergency supports for the province’s most vulnerable, including people on income or disability assistance and low-income seniors. Read more
- Additional $1.5 million to supplement supports for Indigenous students. Read more
- New spaces secured for vulnerable people to self-isolate. Read more
- Emergency Relief Support Fund adds service flexibility for parents of children with special needs. Read more
- $5 million to expand existing mental health programs and services and launch new services. Read more
- Applications open for temporary rental supplement. Read more
- Support service launched for B.C. businesses. Read more
- New supports for businesses, local governments. Read more
- Launch of free, virtual educational programs to support well-being of students, parents and educators. Read more
- Support for rural, remote and Indigenous communities. Read more
- Emergency supports for home share, support service providers. Read more
- B.C.’s essential service workers matched with child care. Read more
- Applications for B.C. Emergency Benefit for Workers to open May 1. Read more
- Funding for Family Caregivers of British Columbia is doubled to $1 million, helping support both caregivers and seniors. Read more
- Virtual opportunities for LGBTQ2S+ students to connect. Read more
- Monthly rent reduced by at least 75% for B.C. small businesses. Read more
May 2020
- Online applications open for B.C. Emergency Benefit for Workers. Read more
- Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Centre Society (VIRCS) selected to serve as a provincial hub for anti-racism program. Read more
- 3,500 smartphones to be distributed by community organizations that provide services and support for vulnerable people. Read more
- Premier outlines plan to restart B.C. safely. Read more
- State of emergency extended. Read more
- Pandemic pay supports front-line health, social service workers. Read more
- K-12 students to have optional in-class instruction on June 1. Read more
June 2020
- Temporary emergency funding program for licensed child care centres extended until Aug. 31, 2020. Read more
- Extension of the temporary rental supplement (TRS) until the end of August 2020 to continue to support renters and landlords. Read more
- Extension of the temporary layoffs provisions to a maximum of 24 weeks expiring on August 30, 2020. Read more
- New $5 million Youth Community Partnership program to “build back better” from the impacts of COVID-19. Read more
- Investments in initiatives to protect long-term care and seniors’ assisted-living facilities. Read more
July 2020
- Emergency supports extended for people on income or disability assistance and low-income seniors. Read more
- Release of an economic and fiscal update for 2020–2021 provides a summary of COVID-19 investments to date. Read more
Up to date resources and announcements can be found here.
Click on SDG icons to see related Vanier Institute resources
