Provincial Support

Work Safe BC payment changes

WorkSafeBC is postponing the payment deadline for Q1 2020 to help employers. For more info, click here.

 

BC Hydro

 All BC Hydro customers have the option to defer bill payments or arrange for flexible payment plans with no penalty. Residential customers facing temporary financial hardship and possible disconnection of their service due to job loss, illness, or loss of a family member may be eligible for BC Hydro’s Customer Crisis Fund, which provides access to grants of up to $600 to pay bills. For more info, click here.

Small businesses in BC Hydro’s small general service rate category forced to close due to COVID-19 can have their power bills forgiven for electricity used between April and June 2020, with no repayment required

Small businesses can apply starting the week of April 14, 2020 and have until June 30, 2020 to complete the application.

FortisBC

Residential FortisBC customers can sign up for the COVID-19 Customer Recovery Fund to automatically have their bills deferred from April 1 to June 30, 2020. A repayment schedule, free of interest or additional fees, will be set up and payments can be spread over a full year. For small businesses that have been forced to close, FortisBC will issue bill credits to offset any charges to their account while they have been unable to continue operating their business as usual. Businesses that are still open, but facing a slowdown in revenue, will not receive bill credits but can also receive bill deferral for the same 90-day period

 

ICBC

ICBC are offering monthly payment deferral for up to 90 days with no penalty for those impacted by COVID-19.

 

B.C. Emergency Benefit for Workers

Provides a tax-free $1,000 payment to British Columbians whose ability to work has been affected by the outbreak. The benefit will be a one-time payment for British Columbians who receive federal Employment Insurance (EI), or the new federal Canada Emergency Response Benefit as a result of COVID-19 impacts. Applications are not yet open. More info here.

Climate Action Tax Credit

A one-time enhancement to the climate action tax credit will be paid in July 2020 for moderate to low-income families:

  • An adult will receive up to $218.00 (increased from $43.50)

  • A child will receive $64.00 (increased from $12.75)

  • People need to file their income taxes to be eligible for the B.C. Climate Action Tax Credit

Renters, Homeowners and People Experiencing Homelessness

Funding for housing supports are increased to ensure people can maintain their housing in the event of job or income loss.

B.C. Student Loans

Starting March 30, 2020, B.C. student loan payments are automatically frozen for six months. 

Tax Relief for Businesses - Provincial

The following provincial taxes have been deferred, delayed or reduced:

  • Deferred Tax Payments for Businesses

  • Delayed PST Budget 2020 Tax Changes

  • Delayed Carbon Tax Increase

  • Reduced School Tax for Businesses

 

Tax Changes for Businesses - Provincial Business Taxes

Businesses with a payroll over $500,000 can defer their employer health tax payments until
Sept. 30, 2020. Businesses with a payroll under this threshold are already exempt from the tax.
Provincial business tax filing and payment deadlines have also been extended until Sept. 30,
2020 for:

  • provincial sales tax (PST);

  • municipal and regional district tax;

  • tobacco tax;

  • motor fuel tax; and

  • carbon tax.

The scheduled April 1, 2020 increase to the provincial carbon tax, as well as the new PST
registration requirements on e-commerce and the implementation of PST on sweetened
carbonated drinks, will be delayed with timing to be reviewed by Sept. 30, 2020.

Learn more.

Reduced School Tax Rates for Businesses

School tax rates for commercial properties (Classes 4, 5 and 6) will be reduced by 50% for the 2020 tax year.