BC Housing is working with the Province of BC, BC's health authorities, the BC Centre for Disease Control, the Public Health Agency of Canada, and other partners to monitor COVID-19 and will continue to support the non-profit housing sector during BC’s Restart Plan.
For the latest information visit: BC's Restart: A plan to bring us back together - Province of British Columbia (gov.bc.ca)
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How BC Housing has helped British Columbians during the COVID-19 pandemic
BC Housing is working with the Province of BC, BC's health authorities, the BC Centre for Disease Control, the Public Health Agency of Canada, and other partners to monitor COVID-19.
Here are some highlights of the work that BC Housing staff and partners have successfully implemented:
BC Temporary Rental Supplement program (April - August 2020)
- Developed a new BC Temporary Rental Supplement (BCTRS) program, and received and processed supplements for more than 98,800 households
- More than 87,000 households were eligible and received the rental supplement
- More than 370,000 rent payments made
Community supports for people experiencing homelessness
- 600+ people relocated from tented parks into safe, stable accommodation - Province secures safe shelter, supports for people living in major encampments
- 119 sites and more than 2900 safe self-isolation spaces made available for people experiencing homelessness
Supporting housing providers and BC Housing tenants
- Created COVID-19 safety processes for buildings operated by non-profit housing providers, shelters and other temporary housing
- Kept non-profit service providers going with payments for staffing and other operating costs
- Streamlined PPE, office and cleaning supply inventories by developing a one-stop station for buying, shipping and getting supplies needed by frontline providers
- 840,000+ essential supplies delivered including personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Thousand of hand-sewn masks for people living in social housing
Supporting BC Housing staff and visitors
- Educated employees by launching an employee Covid-19 educational intranet site
- Closed offices and moved more than 350 BC Housing staff to remote online service delivery: Closing some in-person services
- Distributed COVID-19 safety posters to all BC Housing-managed buildings and offices
How we are supporting our BC Housing tenants?
- Supports and resources for Housing Providers
- Temporary rent adjustment for Rent-Geared-to-Income tenants
- Started a rent abatement program for subsidized BC Housing tenants, and worked with the Residential Tenancy Branch of BC to create policies to help other renters
- 200,000+ meals delivered to people in social housing
- Closed public offices, where possible, moved service delivery online
- Temporary eviction ban for non-payment of rent in BC Housing-funded buildings