COVID-19 Resources

• HealthLinkBC – information about COVID-19, including how it is transmitted, symptoms and precautions individuals can take to prevent infection.
• Self-Assessment Tool (BC Ministry of Health)
• Self-Assessment App (BC Ministry of Health): Apple App Store | Google Play
• BC Centre for Disease Control
• Fraser Health Authority
• Vancouver Coast Health Authority
• Public Health Agency of Canada
• World Health Organization
• Emergency numbers:
  • Dial 9-1-1 in situations with life-threatening emergencies.
  • HealthLinkBC for non-emergency health information and advice in B.C.:
    • 8-1-1 (toll-free in B.C., or for the deaf and the hard of hearing, call 7-1-1); staffed 24/7.
  • Non-medical hotline for COVID-19 questions in B.C.:
    • 1-888-COVID19 (1-888-268-4319); staffed 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day.
• Travel restrictions– domestic
  • COVID-19 measures, updates, and guidance issued by Transport Canada
• Travel restrictions – international
  • The Government of Canada has enacted an Emergency Order under the Quarantine Act that applies to all travellers arriving in Canada.
  • Provincial health officer order for people in B.C. who have travelled outside Canada
• Provincial health officer (B.C) orders, notices and guidance

• Business Credit Availability Program (BCAP) — The BCAP will support access to financing for Canadian businesses in all sectors and regions. Through this program, Export Development Canada (EDC) and the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) will provide direct lending and other types of financial support. BCAP includes the following programs:
  • EDC Loan Guarantee for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises allows financial institutions to issue operating credit and cash flow term loans of up to $6.25 million to existing clients, with 80 per cent guaranteed by EDC; and
  • BDC Co-Lending Program for Small and Medium Enterprises provides term loans for operational and liquidity needs of businesses up to $6.25 million.

On May 11, BCAP was expanded to provide mid-sized companies with larger financing needs. Support for mid-market businesses will include loans of up to $60 million per company and guarantees of up to $80 million. For additional information on any of the BCAP programs or to apply, Businesses should contact their primary lender, where they have a pre-existing relationship.

• Canada Emergency Business Account — Interest-free loans of up to $40,000 to small businesses and not-for-profits, to help cover their operating costs during a period where their revenues have been temporarily reduced. To qualify, these organizations will need to demonstrate they paid between $20,000 to $1.5 million in total payroll in 2019. Repaying the balance of the loan on or before Dec. 31, 2022 will result in loan forgiveness of 25 percent (up to $10,000). Business owners can apply for support from the Canada Emergency Business Account through their banks and credit unions. UPDATE: On Aug. 31, the federal government announced that the application deadline for CEBA is extended from Aug. 31 to Oct. 31, 2020. Read more.
• Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy — Companies of all sizes, non-profits, and charities that have been affected by COVID-19 may be eligible for a subsidy of 75% of employee wages for up to 12 weeks, retroactive from March 15 to August 29, 2020. This wage subsidy will enable organizations to re-hire workers previously laid off as a result of COVID-19, help prevent further job losses, and better position you to resume normal operations following the crisis. To be eligible for the wage subsidy, the organization must have experienced a 30% decrease in revenue compared to the same month last year. Companies may also use the average of the revenue earned in January and February 2020. This subsidy will cover the first $58,700 per employee – up to $847/week per employee. Calculate your total wage subsidy. Businesses can apply now for the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy. UPDATE: On July 17, the federal government announced proposed changes to the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) that would broaden the reach and extend the program until December 19, 2020. Highlights of the proposed changes include:
  • Extending CEWS until December 19, 2020, including redesigned program details until November 21, 2020.
  • Making the subsidy accessible to a broader range of employers by including employers with a revenue decline of less than 30 per cent and providing a gradually decreasing base subsidy to all qualifying employers. This would help many struggling employers with less than a 30-per-cent revenue loss get support to keep and bring back workers, while also ensuring those who have previously benefited could still qualify, even if their revenues recover and no longer meet the 30 per cent revenue decline threshold.
  • Introducing a top-up subsidy of up to an additional 25 per cent for employers that have been most adversely affected by the pandemic. This would be particularly helpful to employers in industries that are recovering more slowly.
  • Providing certainty to employers that have already made business decisions for July and August by ensuring they would not receive a subsidy rate lower than they would have had under the previous rules.

  Click here for more details, including the revised rate structure of the base CEWS.

• Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) — Provides $2,000 per month for up to 24 weeks to any workers who have lost their income for reasons related to COVID-19 including reasons of sickness, quarantine, taking care of those with COVID-19 as well as working parents needing to stay at home with children. This applies to wage earners, contract workers, and self-employed individuals. UPDATE: On August 20, the federal government announced that it is extending the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) into September, before transitioning the millions of people who are still claiming CERB onto a revamped Employment Insurance program starting Sept. 27. Learn more.
• Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) — The program will lower rent by 75 per cent for small businesses affected by COVID-19. Qualifying commercial property owners will receive forgivable loans to cover 50 per cent of monthly rents payable by small business tenants experiencing financial hardships during April, May, June and July. The loans will be forgiven if the commercial property owner agrees to reduce their small business tenant’s rent by at least 75 per cent for three months under a rent forgiveness agreement. The agreement must also include a term not to evict the tenant while the agreement is in place. The small business tenant would cover the remainder, up to 25 per cent of the rent for the months of April, May, June and July. To qualify, the small business tenants must be: paying less than $50,000 per month in rent; and have either temporarily ceased operations or have experienced at least a 70 per cent drop in pre-COVID revenues. The program will be administered and delivered by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. CECRA. Apply today.  UPDATE: On Sept. 8, the federal government announced CECRA has been extended once again, and will now cover a portion of September’s rent for businesses that qualify.
• Large Employer Emergency Financing Facility (LEEFF) – Provide bridge financing to Canada’s largest employers, whose needs during the pandemic are not being met through conventional financing, in order to keep their operations going. The objective of this support is to help protect Canadian jobs, help Canadian businesses weather the current economic downturn, and avoid bankruptcies of otherwise viable firms where possible. This support cannot be used to resolve insolvencies or restructure firms, nor will it provide financing to companies that otherwise have the capacity to manage through the crisis. Learn more.
• Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP) — $250 million to assist innovative, early-stage companies that are unable to access other COVID-19 business supports. IRAP provides advice, connections, and funding to help Canadian small and medium-sized businesses increase their innovation capacity and take ideas to market.
• Futurpreneur Canada — $20.1 million in support for Futurpreneur Canada to continue supporting young entrepreneurs across Canada who are facing challenges due to COVID-19. The funding will allow Futurpreneur Canada to provide payment relief for its clients for up to 12 months.
• Tax Flexibility — Businesses can defer paying income tax until September 1, 2020. GST payments, duties, and other remittances can be deferred until June.
• Opportunities for Canadian Manufacturers — Call to action: Businesses that can assist in combating COVID-19. Additional details for needed products and services found here
• Employment and Social Development Canada — Details for employers on EI applications for their employees and Work-Share Program
• COVID-19 Economic Response Plan — Direct support to Canadian workers and businesses (cost and implementation)

• WorkSafeBC — WorkSafeBC has taken several measures to support employers facing challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic:
  • It has extended the deferral period for quarterly premium payments for an additional three months, without penalty or interest, until October 20, 2020.
  • It has postponed the release of 2021 preliminary rates from July until this fall.
  • It has waived premiums for employers who are approved to receive the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) for workers who are on leave with full or partial pay.
• BC COVID-19 Action Plan — $5 billion plan that includes $2.2 billion for businesses and recovery. Plan includes tax changes and additional benefits. Highlights include:
  • • Enhanced tax flexibility — The Province is extending tax filing and payment deadlines for the PST, the Employer Health Tax, the municipal and regional district tax, the carbon tax, the motor fuel tax, among others to September 30, 2020
    • Deferral of carbon tax increase — The provincial carbon tax increase scheduled for April 1 will be delayed and reviewed by September 30
    • Tax relief for Class 4, 5, 6 property classes — School tax on the business property class as well as the light- and major-industry classes will be cut in half for 2020
    • Delay of new PST registration requirements — The new PST registration requirements on e-commerce and the implementation of PST on sweetened carbonated drinks will be delayed and their timing will be reviewed by September 30
    • BC Emergency Benefit for Workers — Tax-free one-time payment of $1,000 to British Columbians (EI-eligible and non-EI eligible) whose ability to work has been impacted by COVID-19, to be aligned with federal government program. Applications accepted as of May 1.
    • Recovery Plan — $1.5 billion allocated to support long-term economic recovery, to be allocated once the pandemic has passed
• COVID-19 Leave: Changes to Employment Standard Act — Employees who are unable to work due to COVID-19 related reasons are permitted to take unpaid, job-protected leave. This is retroactive to January 27, 2020.
• COVID-19 Temporary Layoffs – The Province of British Columbia has extended the temporary layoffs provisions to a maximum of 24 weeks expiring on Aug. 30, 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic. More information about employment standards around temporary layoffs.
• BC Hydro
  • The COVID-19 Relief Fund allows eligible residential customers who have experienced job loss to receive three months of free credit on their BC Hydro bill based on their average consumption.
  • The COVID-19 Relief Fund for small businesses allows eligible small businesses that needed to close due to COVID-19 to have up to three months of electricity charges waived.
  • Major industries, like pulp and paper mills and mines, will have the opportunity to defer 50% of their bill payments for three months.
  • For residential and commercial customers that are not eligible for our COVID-19 Relief Fund, we have the COVID-19 Customer Assistance Program available which allows you to defer bill payments or arrange for flexible payment plans with no penalty.
  • Residential customers facing temporary financial hardship and are unable to pay their bills due to job loss, illness, or loss of a family member may also be eligible for grants from our Customer Crisis Fund. If you meet the eligibility criteria for both, you can apply for both the Customer Crisis Fund and the COVID-19 Relief Fund.
  • BC Hydro rates have also decreased one per cent as of April 1, 2020.
• Insurance Corporation of BC
  • Customers on a monthly Autoplan payment plan who are facing financial challenges due to COVID-19 may defer their payment for up to 90 days with no penalty. Payment deferral is also available for fleets.
• BC Temporary Rental Supplement Program
  • As part of the province’s $5 billion action plan, the BC Temporary Rental Supplement Program gives tenants and landlords temporary support towards rent payments for renters impacted by COVID-19. Payments are made directly to the landlords of eligible households.

• Summary of changes in municipal processes and online resources compiled by the Urban Development Institute (UDI) – Pacific Region.

• VRCA members can access investment tax credits (ITCs) offered by the federal government to offset the cost of innovation and problem-solving in the construction industry. Learn more

• Definition of essential services
• Guidance to construction sites operating during COVID-19
• Guidance to manufacturers during COVID-19
• NEW: Protecting Workers at Large Industrial Camps
• NEW: Protecting Workers, Contractors and Employers working in the Natural Resource Sector

• Resuming business operationsin B.C. in a healthy and safe manner – Phase 3
  • Construction and COVID-19 safety
  • Every employer needs a COVID-19 Safety Plan, which can be developed based on WorkSafeBC’s template, either using a fillable PDF
    or a new mobile app for iOS and Android smartphones and tablets.
• COVID-19 and returning to safe operation – Phase 2
  • Offices: Protocols for returning to operation
  • What workers should expect when returning to work
  • Returning to safe operation frequently asked questions
• Construction and COVID-19 safety
• Preventing exposure to COVID-19 in the workplace
• COVID-19 and your reporting and payment deadline
• Claims information for workers
• Helping employers address COVID-19 in the workplace
• Submitting and managing reviews during the COVID-19 outbreak
• Certificate of Recognition (COR) 2020 audit waivers
• Short-term extensions of Occupational First Aid Certificates
• COVID-19 resources page

Regional Safety Advisors
BCCSA’s regional safety advisors are available to assist contractors who have safety questions or concerns, are looking to develop safety programs and materials, or want to prepare for COR™ (Certificate of Recognition). These services are available at no cost to all construction (sector 72) employers, and select aggregate and ready-mixed employers. Learn more.

• Health and Safety
  • NEW: Office reopening guidance
  • NEW: Guidance for Workers who are reintegrating back to existing operations
  • Ergonomics – Working from your home office
  • BCCSA Guidance on Covid-19
  • Employer Covid-19 Site Inspection
  • Hazard Assessment and Control
  • What if Physical Distancing is not Possible
  • Everyone do their part – Poster
  • Pandemic Handwashing Station on a Construction Site
  • Presumed COVID-19 Case on Site Procedures
  • Handwashing Station on a Construction Site
  • Guidance to Construction Sites Operating during COVID-19
  • Safety Notice for Workers
  • Safety Notice for Workers (Punjabi)
  • Managing a Pandemic On Site
  • Exposure Control Plan for COVID-19
  • Enhanced Surface Cleaning & Disinfection
  • Prevention Procedures: Working on a Construction Site
  • Updated: COVID-19 Health Screening Tool
  • Safe Work Practice: COVID-19 & the Construction Industry
• BCCSA – Frequently Asked Questions
• Mental Health
  • Mental health for construction workers – COVID-19
• BCCSA Certificate of Recognition (COR®) Program for 2020
• BCCSA site guidelines:
  • Reduce the number of people on-site to facilitate social distancing between workers.  If needed, adjust schedules or scale back.
  • Wear PPE at all times as long as it is safe to do so – safety goggles, masks, and gloves.
  • Workers should not congregate in break areas and lunchrooms.
  • Workers should not share PPE.
  • Workers should not share tools.
  • Introduce extra handwashing stations.
  • Do not spit on worksites
  • Do not share cigarettes and/or vaping equipment.
  • Do not use sea cans as breakrooms.
  • Do not rideshare/carpool to/from work with people outside your household.
  • Clean out Jobsite trailers daily – arrange for commercial cleaners to clean and disinfect areas of the project.
  • Introduce an on-site COVID-19 committee to create a best practices plan to ensure worker safety.
  • Create a task force focused on supporting your company’s staff and customers.
  • Make sure workers know about the Ministry of Health self-assessment tool.
  • Make sure workers know they should not come to work if they’re feeling sick

• COVID-19 Help Line: COCA has set up a member Help Desk for Covid-19 WorkSafeBC-related questions and concerns in an effort to expedite and, where possible, provide interim answers to your questions. Please forward your questions using the template to [email protected]

• Bird Construction
  • COVID-19 Enhanced Cleaning
  • Safety Notice for Workers
  • BIRD COVID-19 Poster
  • Bird Site Hygiene Checklist
  • Bird-Symptoms-Poster
  • Bird-Traveler-Poster
  • Exposure Control Plan for COVID-19
  • Health Questionnaire – COVID-19
  • COVID-19: What you need to know about Health and Safety and Working On-Site
  • Practical Guide – ergonomics and temporary work from home Entrac

  
  ETRO Construction Ltd

  • COVID-19 Contact monitoring form
  • Know the difference: self-monitoring, self-isolation, and isolation for COVID-19
  • Exposure Control Program for Pandemic Influenza
  • ETRO Construction COVID-19 Response & Policy
  • ETRO Construction COVID-19 Questionnaire Poster
  • ETRO Construction COVID-19 Symptom Poster
  • ETRO Construction COVID-19 Travel Poster
  • ETRO Construction COVID-19 Fight the Flu Poster
  • Hygiene Exposure Awareness Template
  • Site Entrance Directives Poster
  • Site Hygiene Compliance Checklists
  • Site Sanitation Cleaning Log
  • WHO Hand Sanitizer Poster
  • WHO Hand Wash Poster

  
  Ledcor Construction Ltd

  • Project Continuity Plan to COVID-19 Pandemic
  • APPENDIX A – Ledcor Safety Talk
  • APPENDIX B – Ledcor Flu Prevention Poster
  • APPENDIX C – 2020 Ledcor Safety Notice Construction COVID-19 Poster
  • APPENDIX D – COVID-19 – Letter from PM, PD to Consultant, Client, Trade head office, etc
  • APPENDIX E – COVID-19 – Letter from PM, PD to Subcontractors, Trades
  • APPENDIX F – Surface Cleaning for Potential Virus Contamination Safe Work Procedures
  • APPENDIX G – LCL Rapid Demobilization-Shutdown Checklist
  • APPENDIX H – Presumptive and Confirmed COVID-19 Case Responses
  • APPENDIX I – COVID-19 Response Reporting Process – Ledcor Employee
  • APPENDIX J – Example of a Water Mitigation Plan
  • APPENDIX K – LCL Site COVID Prevention Procedures
  • APPENDIX L – LCL Site COVID-19 Prevention Procedures – Instructions to Subcontractors
  • APPENDIX M – Health Questionnaire – Coronavirus (COVID-19)
  • Know the Difference: self monitoring, self isolation and isolation for COVID-19

  
  LMS Reinforcing Steel Group

  • COVID-19: Industry Standards for Site Safety

  
  Metric Modular

  • REED FS-200 Food Service Infrared Thermometer

Smith Bros. & Wilson Ltd

• • Self Assessment Sign–in sheet site wide
  • Self Assessment Sign–in sheet site wide – Spanish

• Mental health support for construction workers – COVID-19 (BC Construction Safety Alliance)
• Wellness Together Canada: Mental Health and Substance Use Support
• NEW: Mental Health Commission of Canada has published a national standard for psychological health and safety in the workplace.
• NEW: BounceBack is a free skill-building program designed to help adults and youth 15+ manage low mood, mild to moderate depression, anxiety, stress or worry.
• NEW: Anxiety Canada is a leader in developing free online, self-help, and evidence-based resources on anxiety.
• Sleep Guidelines During the COVID-19 Pandemic (Source: sleepfoundation.org)
• COVID-19 Psychological First Aid Service: Information and Signup (British Columbia Psychological Association) – Free virtual counselling provided by registered psychologists.
• COVID-19: Staying Well In Uncertain Times (Canadian Mental Health Association – B.C.) – Tips and information on how to reduce and manage anxiety in the workplace due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
• Managing COVID-19 Stress, Anxiety and Depression (Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions) – Tips and resources on things we can do as individuals and collectively to deal with stress and support one another during these challenging times.
• Mental Health and Psychosocial Considerations During COVID-19 Outbreak (World Health Organization) – These mental health considerations were developed by the WHO’s Department of Mental Health and Substance Use as messages targeting different groups to support for mental and psychosocial well-being during COVID-19 outbreak.
• Mental Health and COVID-10 (Conference Board of Canada) – Videos on different aspects of mental health, including coping with anxiety, job loss, and dealing with isolation.
• Taking Care of Your Mental Health (COVID-19) (Public Health Agency of Canada) – Tips and resources for taking care of your mental health during the COVID-19 outbreak.

NEW: WorkSafeBC – Selecting and using masks in non-health care settings

On April 7, Canada’s Council of Chief Medical Officers issued a statement about the use of non-medical masks or facial coverings by the public, which said: “Wearing a non-medical mask (e.g., homemade cloth mask) in the community has not been proven to protect the person wearing it. However, the use of a non-medical mask or facial covering can be an additional measure you can take to protect others around you.”

When asked about the national statement, B.C.’s Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, clarified that use of non-medical masks by the public is “not a recommendation – it is a permissive use.”

“For short-term, [wearing non-medical masks] can protect others around you from your droplets … it’s not going to protect you from getting infected with this virus,” Dr. Henry said.

“I think we have to be very careful not to say that it is required or recommended for everybody, but it is an option particularly if you are not sure you’re going to be able to cover your cough if you need to.”

Watch Dr. Henry’s full comments starting at 30:45.

Non-medical cloth masks are your choice during COVID-19: Dr. Bonnie Henry

• Use of Cloth Face Coverings to Help Slow the Spread of COVID-19, published by the Centre for Disease Control (US)
• Locally made fabric masks by Eco-masks: https://eco-masks.ca
• Local vendor producing custom-branded face coverings: https://martketbranding.com/

• Tip Sheet – Coronavirus and social media

• 15 questions about remote work, answered, Harvard Business Review
• Leading remote workers – the coronavirus’ impact on effective management, Forbes

• Construction Job Centre – employer

• Construction Job Centre – employee

Alexander Holburn Beaudin + Lang LLP

• Construction companies should check contracts, insurance for relief from potential pandemic losses, published by Business in Vancouver, May 1, 2020
• Limiting Exposure from Exposure: Liability of Essential Service Providers in the Context of COVID-19
• Builders Liens during the COVID-19 Emergency – Protect your Lien Rights
• Frustrated by COVID-19: Recovering and Preventing Business Losses

Borden Ladner Gervais LLP

• COVID-19: The exceptional right to renegotiate the terms of a contract in the absence of a force majeure
• Dispute management during COVID-19: Moving from litigation to arbitration
• Suspension of limitation periods and procedural timelines during COVID-19 in Canada
• COVID-19: Is your company insured for business interruptions?
• Contractual risks amid the COVID-19 outbreak
• Customs planning during COVID-19: CBSA updates

BTM Lawyers LLP 

• COVID-19 and my construction contract – what do I do now?

Canadian Construction Association

• Protecting yourself from onerous contract conditions

Dentons Canada LLP

• Guidance, but modest comfort: The Competition Bureau’s statement on COVID-19–related competitor collaborations
• Business as usual under the BC Builders’ Lien Act – at least from April 15, 2020

Hamilton Duncan

• COVID-19 and the Failing Business
• COVID-19 and Commercial Leases: Options for Landlords and Tenants

Jenkins Marzban Logan LLP

• Construction Contracts and COVID-19 (May 2020)
• Construction Contracts and COVID-19 (March 2020)

Miller Thomson LLP Barristers & Solicitors 

• COVID-19 Financial Services update: terminating or disclaiming contracts

Singleton Urquhart Reynolds Vogel LLP

• Business is shut down. What happens with your lease now?
• COVID-19: Limitation of Liability for Essential Service Providers
• Electronic Signatures in a Time of Social Distancing
• Government of British Columbia Issues Order Suspending Limitation Periods
• The Repercussions of COVID-19 on the Execution of Construction Contracts

Whitelaw Twining Law Corporation

• COVID-19 and Unfulfilled Transportation Contracts: Will Force Majeure Clauses Come To The Rescue?
• Litigation and Legislative Responses to the Denial of Business Interruption Claims

NEW: B.C. Government creates COVID-19 temporary layoff period

• Order in Council enacting COVID-19 temporary layoff period

Alexander Holburn Beaudin + Lang LLP

• New mandatory self-isolation requirement – Top 5 tips employers of workers under the temporary foreign worker program need to know
• Permissive disclosure of personal information in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis
• COVID-19 Pandemic and its Impacts on Canadian Immigration
• COVID-19: Labour + Employment Update (March 25, 2020)

Borden Ladner Gervais LLP

• COVID-19 Legal Perspectives: Workplace issues (webinar)
• Canada emergency wage subsidy: Summary & practical guide for employers
• New COVID-19 wage subsidies for Canadian employers
• COVID-19 Legal Perspectives: Workplace issues (webinar)
• Employers and the COVID-19 Federal Emergency Response Act

BTM Lawyers LLP 

• COVID-19 and the Workplace Update

Dentons Canada LLP

• Employment and Labour webinar series: (COVID-19) – Legal update for Canadian employers
• COVID-19 and Canadian workplace law: What’s happened so far and what to do now
• Important considerations in challenging times for Canadian employers that provide workplace Group RRSPs

Hamilton Duncan

• COVID-19 and the B.C. Workplace: Dispelling Common Myths

Harris & Co

• Daily COVID-19 updates

McQuarrie Hunter LLP

• Keeping Employees during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Miller Thomson LLP Barristers & Solicitors 

• The Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy at your fingertips
• Temporary layoff of employees: Tax obligations arising from contributions to a supplementary unemployment benefit plan
• Agreement with creditors: Beware
• Important clauses in construction contracts in light of COVID-19
• COVID-19 and Construction Contracts
• COVID-19 – Impact on environmental compliance and due diligence
• COVID-19 and Business Interruption Claims
• Coronavirus (COVID-19) insurance policy issues

Roper Greyell LLP 

• Weekly COVID-19 Updates

Singleton Urquhart Reynolds Vogel LLP

• COVID-19: Managing your Workforce in Periods of Economic Uncertainty
• COVID-19 – Health and Safety Implications

NEW: B.C. Government creates COVID-19 temporary layoff period

• Order in Council enacting COVID-19 temporary layoff period

ATAC LAW

• Coronavirus Layoffs are Illegal

BTM Lawyers LLP 

• Explaining Temporary Layoffs in BC – What Needed to Change, but Didn’t
• COVID-19 and the Workplace Update: Canada Emergency Response Benefit

Hamilton Duncan

• Amendments to British Columbia’s Employment Standards Act

Singleton Urquhart Reynolds Vogel LLP

• Job Protection Measures – Recent Amendments to the British Columbia Employment Standards Act

Miller Thomson LLP Barristers & Solicitors 

• To delay or not? Extensions by the CRA and the Tax Court of Canada
• Temporary layoff of employees: Tax obligations arising from contributions to a supplementary unemployment benefit plan
• Rent deferral during pandemic may not reduce GST/HST payable on rent
• Rebates on invoices: how to deal with GST and QST?

• Call to action: Manufacturers needed to help combat COVID-19

• COVID-19 Supply Hub

• Salus Pro* is offering its safety management software free of charge during COVID-19

• Where possible, VRCA has moved its classroom courses to an online format and is actively sourcing new online content.  Click here for details.

• During this time, VRCA has needed to reschedule its networking events. Click here for details.

March 2020

• March 26 – The provincial government defined the construction industry as a non-health essential service provider in the context of COVID-19 response and recovery. As such, construction sites should remain open provided they follow the orders and guidance provided by the provincial health officer (PHO) to minimize the risks of COVID-19 transmission and illness. Read more.
• March 26 – VRCA hosted a call with members of its General Contractors Division to share pandemic response plans and best practice COVID-19 safety protocols for construction sites. Thank you to the member companies that made presentations and willingly agreed to share their plans and resources across VRCA’s three Divisions. The documents can be downloaded from VRCA’s COVID-19 Resources page.
• March 23 – In response to all governments’ increasing calls to limit non-essential interactions, VRCA decided to close its office effective 1 p.m. on Monday, March 23. In an email to member companies and their employees, Fiona Famulak, VRCA president, explained the impact this decision has on the purchase of CCDC seals, Commission of Oaths services (statutory declarations) and VRCA print/scan services. Read more.
• March 22 – The provincial government released additional safety guidance for construction companies to manage their sites during COVID-19. All companies in the industry must follow these requirements to ensure the utmost protection of their workers, their families and our communities. Read more.
• March 21 – The Canadian Construction Association issued a statement outlining how Canada’s construction industry is responding to COVID-19. The release included an urgent call for the Government of Canada to undertake several actions and provide additional information. Read more.
• March 18 – VRCA shared that it received clarification from the provincial health officer that her March 16, 2020 order regarding mass gatherings does not apply to industrial sites. The provincial government also confirmed that the reference to industrial sites includes construction sites. In addition to clarifying the earlier order, the provincial health officer also suggested several precautions to reduce the risk of spreading the virus on industrial sites, including: reducing the number of people on site; practicing social distancing by maintaining two metres separation between workers; and not congregating in break areas and lunch rooms. For now, this means construction sites remain open with additional health and safety precautions in place. Read more.
• March 17 – VRCA emailed its member companies and their employees to share that VRCA’s was office remaining open, however, minimally staffed to process essential business, including statutory declarations, and that the balance of VRCA’s staff will work remotely to minimize the risk of spreading the virus. Read more.
• March 13 – VRCA emailed its member companies and their employees to share the association’s plans for in-person events and education courses through April. Read more.
• March 12 – VRCA issued an email to member companies and their employees advising what the association is doing to help keep its visitors, guests and staff safe from risks associated with the COVID-19 virus. Read more.