COVID-19 UPDATES AND RESOURCES

Official Provincial Government Updates

- Official Provincial Updates: Learn more.
- Provincial Government’s Facebook page. Easy to use information. Read here
- Overviews
  - BC Tenant Rights by TAPS. Read here.
  - BC Welfare Benefit Summary. BC Government information. Learn more

- Rent-specific
  - Rent increases are frozen until July 10, 2021. Rent increase can only be 1.4%, even if tenant did not get a rent increase in 2020. Notice of rent increase effective before December 31, 2020 are no longer valid and must be reissued. Notice of rent increase to take affect January 1, 2020 do not have to be reissued. They will not take affect until July 10, 2021.
  - BC Rent Banks. Learn more
  - The temporary suspension of evictions has been lifted. Landlords can now evict tenants for all reasons under the RTA. Evictions can still not be given for the effected months of March to August 2020. A landlord must offer a tenant a repayment plan for the effected months. Learn more
  - BC Hydro will defer bill payments or make flexible payment plans. Learn more, or call 1 800 BCHYDRO (1 800 224 9376)
  - BC Hydro’s Customer Crisis Grant for customers who have lost jobs, wages or illness due to COVID-19. Grants up to $600. Learn more
    - BC Hydro’s Crisis Grant. Application

- Income-related
  - BC Emergency Benefit for Workers. Tax-Free one-time $1000 payment to workers affected by COVID-19. Eligibility criteria now posted. Learn more or apply here by December, 2, 2020.
  - Income & Disability Assistance. $300/month. If you are already receiving this assistance you will automatically receive this benefit on your April through August cheque.
  - BC Seniors Supplement. $300/month automatic boost for low-income seniors. If you are receiving this assistance and not able to get the CERB benefit, you will automatically receive this benefit on your April, May and June cheque. Learn more
  - BC Climate Action Tax Credit. Non-taxable. Payment is automatic if you qualify and is in July 2020. Learn more
  - BC transit and Translike started to collect fees June 1, 2020. Masks are mandatory as of August 24, 2020. Learn more.

- Victoria services for people who are homeless or in fear of being homeless. Shelters, food and meals, health care. Learn more
- BC First Nations Community Guide for Additional Support. Applications included on page. Learn more
- COVID-19 BC Rent Crisis Resources from Vancouver Tenants Union. Learn more
- COVID-19 Community Resources (Victoria). Learn more
- Managing COVID-19 Stress, Anxiety and Depression. Learn more
- Quarantine Conflict Resolution Service. Learn more
  Services is currently being provided includes:
  - Co-parenting and Schooling
  - Roommates
  - Landlord/Tenant
  - Housing
  - Parents and Teens
  - Elders
  - Return-to-Work
  - Small Business
- Free mental health support available to all BC residents. Learn more
- Credit Counseling Society. Learn more

Official Provincial Government Updates

- General government information. Learn more
- Rent-specific
  - Rents on residential properties or mobile home sites may now take effect, provided proper notice has been given to the tenant.
  - Late fees that are a reasonable estimate of the landlord’s losses can now be applied to late rental payments, if set-out in the rental agreement. Late fees were not permitted from April through June and cannot be applied retroactively for that period.
  - Landlords and tenants are encouraged to continue to work together to develop payment plans while COVID-19 is being managed. However, a landlord is no longer required to demonstrate a payment plan in order to file an application to terminate a tenancy, nor to recover possession due to non-payment of rent.
  - If the landlord and tenant have already agreed to a payment plan, that plan remains in place for the agreed upon time period.
  - Landlords can still file applications and receive orders for possession if the reason for the eviction is unrelated to rent and/or utility payments, or if a tenant refused to negotiate or comply with a payment plan.
  - Landlord’s may enter the rental premises provided proper notice has been served. Landlords and tenants should still adhere to the public health orders in regards to social distancing, isolation, etc. Information on Covid-19 orders and legislation can be found here.
- Income-related

Official Provincial Government Updates

- Rent-specific
  - Eviction hearings postponed and rent increases frozen. Learn more
  - Residential Tenancies Branch: Information for tenants. Learn more
  - Residential Tenancies Branch: Q&A for landlords. Learn more
  - Guidance for Employees and Residents of Residential Complexes. Learn more
  - Amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act. Read here
  - Manitoba Hydro stopped all disconnections related to overdue accounts. If you are unable to make payments, contact them.
- Income-related
- Human Rights
  - The Manitoba Human Rights Commission: Discrimination based on COVID-19. Read here

Official Provincial Government Updates

- Rent-specific
  - Landlord and Tenant Board News Releases Learn more
  - Landlord’s are encouraged to negotiate a repayment agreement BEFORE seeking eviction. The Landlord and Tenant board must consider this when an application for eviction is made.
- Income-related
  - Ontario Works. Additional support offered for recipients of social assistance. Learn more
  - Ontario’s list of Essential Workplaces as of May 4. Learn more. (Please note that this list can be updated at any time.)

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