New emergency supports for province’s most vulnerable

The B.C government has announced a series of temporary support measures to help the province’s most vulnerable residents during the COVID crisis.

That includes people on income or disability assistance and low-income seniors.

“We are putting in place measures that complement the federal crisis measures to support our most vulnerable populations and ensure they do not fall deeper into poverty as a result of COVID-19,” said Shane Simpson, Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction. “This is a stressful time for everyone, but for those struggling to put food on the table at the best of times, it is important that we ensure there are no additional barriers to get what they need to keep themselves and their families safe and healthy.”

For people in B.C. currently receiving income assistance or disability assistance, the province will temporarily exempt federal employment insurance benefits, including the new $2,000 Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB). These payments will be fully exempted for the next three months so people receiving income assistance and disability assistance in B.C. will benefit from these new emergency federal support programs, without any reductions to their monthly assistance payments.

For everyone on income assistance or disability assistance who is not eligible for the emergency federal support programs, including the CERB, the province will provide an automatic $300-monthly COVID-19 crisis supplement for the next three months. This supplement will also be provided to low-income seniors who receive the B.C. Senior’s Supplement and recipients of income assistance or disability assistance who reside in special care facilities.

With the current province wide suspension of BC Transit and Translink bus fares, the province will also provide all BC Bus Pass Program users receiving income assistance and disability assistance with the $52 transportation supplement for the duration of the fare suspension. This will be included on the next cheque and for each subsequent month while the fare suspension remains in place.

Existing Compass passes under the BC Bus Pass Program will not be cancelled and will remain active during this time, so people will not need to reapply for bus passes in the future. This will also ensure people can still use SkyTrain and SeaBus services that are still charging fares. There is no change for eligible low-income seniors who will continue to have an active bus pass provided by the BC Bus Pass Program.