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Prosper Canada: Financial Relief Navigator

Learn about the help you can get to raise your income or lower your expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

From the resources at bc211:

Information about the Coronavirus

See Provincial COVID-19 News for daily updates from Government and the Provincial Health Officer or download the COVID-19 BC Support App for news and alerts.

Effective April 8, 2020, all international travelers returning to BC are required by law to self-isolate for 14 days and complete a self-isolation plan.

Province-wide Phone Lines

HealthLink BC is playing a significant role in supporting the public and has a FAQ about the coronavirus. If you have questions you can call 811 toll-free in BC, or for the deaf and hard of hearing, call 7-1-1. Translation services are available in more than 130 languages.

Ministry of Health has created a phone service to provide non-medical information about COVID-19, including the latest information on travel recommendations and social distancing. Information is available in more than 110 languages, 7:30 am – 8 pm daily.

• BC Coronavirus Information Line: 1-888-COVID19 (1-888-268-4319) or via text message at 604-630-0300

The Public Health Agency of Canada/ Agence de la santé publique du Canada has information for individuals, health professionals, travel advice as well as the current situation in Canada. A new national toll-free information line is providing up-to-date information on COVID-19. Interpretation service is available in multiple languages, 7 am to 12 am daily.

• Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information Service: 1-833-784-4397

Testing/Assessment

BC Ministry of Health also offers the BC COVID-19 Symptom Self-Assessment Tool which will help determine if you may need further assessment or testing for COVID-19.

Testing can be done at Urgent and Primary Care Centres. Some primary care doctors may do testing; call first to check, and to allow them to prepare for you. Do not go to hospital emergency departments just for testing, only if you are having severe symptoms that require immediate medical assistance.

 The BC Centre for Disease Control has further information about the virus for individuals as wells as schools. Information is available in Chinese and Punjabi. Patients can also call a new dedicated hotline to receive testing results, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm daily. People are asked to wait at least 72 hours after being tested before calling.

• BCCDC Coronavirus Hotline: 1-833-707-2792

Financial Assistance

The Department of Finance Canada announced new economic measures to support Canadian workers and businesses during this time of uncertainty.

For Canadians without paid sick leave (or similar workplace accommodation) who are sick, quarantined, or forced to stay home to care for children, the Government is:

• Waiving the one-week waiting period for those individuals in imposed quarantine that claim Employment Insurance (EI) sickness benefits. This temporary measure is in effect as of March 15, 2020.
• Waiving the requirement to provide a medical certificate to access EI.

Contact the dedicated toll-free number if in quarantine and seeking to waive the waiting period: 1-833-381-2725, 1-800-529-3742 (TTY).

Individuals can also register for EI sickness benefits through the online application. 

Canada Emergency Support Response Benefit (CERB) (applications open April 6, 2020) will provide a taxable benefit of $2000 a month (paid in $500 per week installments) for up to four months to:

• Individuals residing in Canada, who are at least 15 years old
• Workers who must stop working due to COVID-19 (sickness, quarantine, or are taking care of someone who is sick) or are eligible for EI regular or sickness benefits
• Workers who are or expect to be without employment or self-employment income for at least 14 consecutive days in the initial four-week period
• Workers (including seasonal workers) who have exhausted their EI regular benefits and are unable to find a job, return to work, or undertake regular seasonal work as a result of COVID-19
• Who had income of at least $5,000 in 2019 or in the twelve months prior to the date of their application
• Workers earning up to $1,000 per month while collecting CERB
• Application details will be available through My CRA and My Service Canada or by phone: 1-800-959-2019. There is no waiting period; direct deposit payments will be made within three business days and cheques within 10 days to eligible applicants.
• Eligibility periods are fixed in 4-week periods. Individuals can reapply for CERB for multiple 4-week periods if their situation continues.
• The benefit will be available until September 26, 2020. Applications accepted no later than December 2, 2020.

Goods and Services Tax Credit (GSTC) (proposed for early May) will provide a one-time special payment which will double the maximum annual GSTC payment amounts for the 2019–20 benefit year. The average boost to income for those benefitting from this measure will be close to $400 for single individuals and close to $600 for couples.

For families receiving the Canada Child Benefit (CCB), the government is increasing maximum annual payment amounts for the 2019–20 benefit year by $300 per child. The overall increase for families receiving CCB will be approximately $550 on average; families will receive an extra $300 per child as part of their May payment.

The Province of BC has also announced several financial supports:

BC Emergency Benefit for Workers (BCEBW) (apply online May 1, 2020; apply by phone May 4, 2020) will provide a one-time, tax-free $1000 payment to workers who have lost income due to COVID-19. To be eligible, you must:

• Have been a resident of BC on March 14, 2020
• Meet eligibility requirements for the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit (CERB)
• Have been approved for the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit
• Be at least 14 years old on the date you apply
• Have filed, or agree to file, a 2019 BC income tax return
• Not be receiving provincial income assistance or disability assistance
• Starting May 1, call 778-309-4630 or 1-855 955-3545 (Toll-free) from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Monday to Friday

Increasing and expanding the BC Climate Action Tax Credit for moderate to low-income families in July 2020. Eligible adults will receive up to $218 (increased from $174) and children will receive $64 (increased from $51).

BC Temporary Rental Supplement:

• A new rental supplement administered by BC Housing for renters with low to moderate incomes who have experienced income loss or reduction as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Offers up to $500 for up to three months, paid directly to landlords (application available mid-April)
• Halting evictions, including the enforcement of existing eviction notices
• Freezing new annual rent increases during the state of emergency
• Preventing landlords from accessing rental units without the consent of the tenants, except in exceptional cases
• Allowing landlords to restrict the use of common areas by tenants or guests
• To speak to someone about the BC-TRS program call: 778-452-2836 (Lower Mainland), 1-877-757-2577 (Toll-free)

For people on income or disability assistance:

• Will be automatically provided a $300 crisis supplement for the next three months. This supplement will also be provided to low-income seniors who receive the BC Senior’s Supplement and recipients who reside in special care facilities.
• Will be automatically provided the $52 Transportation Supplement on their next cheques for the duration of the fare suspension period.
• The province will temporarily exempt federal employment insurance benefits, including the new $2,000 Canada Emergency Response Benefit. These payments will be fully exempted for the next three months so people receiving income assistance and disability assistance will benefit without any reductions to their monthly assistance payments.

For post-secondary students (details TBA):

• Canadian Emergency Student Benefit will provide $1,250 per month for eligible students from May through August 2020, and $1,750 for students with dependents and those with permanent disabilities. Available to post-secondary students and recent graduates who are ineligible for CERB or for EI, but who are unable to find full-time employment or unable to work due to COVID-19.
• Canada Student Service Grant will provide up to $5,000 to support student’s post-secondary education costs in the fall for those who contribute to COVID-19 service activities.