​- BC Hydro -
BC Hydro has introduced a COVID-19 customer assistance program to defer bill payments or arrange for flexible payment plans with no penalty. Call BC Hydro's customer team at 1-800-224-9376 to discuss bill payment options.
Those facing temporary financial hardship and possible disconnection of their service due to job loss, illness, or loss of a family member may also be eligible for BC Hydro's Customer Crisis Fund, which provides access to grants of up to $600 to pay their bills.

- City of Port Coquitlam utility bills -
The City of Port Coquitlam is waiving the March 31 penalty and extending the deadline for payment of 2020 utility bills which includes water, sewer and solid waste. The next due date is May 31 but the city will consider extending it further closer to the time.  

- ICBC -
ICBC currently allows one monthly deferral request per policy term. You can change the date of an upcoming monthly payment online. 
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- Businesses -
In B.C., effective immediately, businesses with a payroll over $500,000 can defer their employer health tax payments until the end of September. (Businesses with smaller payrolls are already exempt from paying the tax.)
The province is extending tax filing and payment deadlines for a number of taxes until Sept. 30, including:​

 - BC Housing Assistance -

1. Go to their web site to find out more https://www.bchousing.org/COVID-19
3. The money goes directly to your landlord.
4. To get this coverage it takes coordinating with your landlord and an EI level of paperwork. They needs the landlord's info.
5. Theoretically even though the program won't start till after April 6th, Aprils rent should be eligible for the program. This is going to be a sticking point for sure, but if you can't pay rent for April, you could start by telling your landlord that you are paying 500 of your rent through this program. They have not 100% clarified it but it should be true.
6. If your rent is over 500 dollars then you will need to pay that money

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​New(to)Town Collective would like to acknowledge the extraordinary efforts being made by  DTES Response to support our vulnerable community members during these uncertain times. N(t)TC stands in solidarity with DTES Response. We want to encourage all you to contribute to the this collective mobilization by donating, sharing this press release, and signing up on the DTES Response newsletter to stay up to date with information on how to help! 

From DTES Response:

WHO WE ARE

DTES Response is a coordinated effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Organizations in the DTES are uniting more than ever to ensure this unprecedented threat does not disproportionately affect the most vulnerable in our communities.

WHAT WE'RE DOING

We’re mobilizing resources and coordinating operations to immediately respond to this crisis. There are 15,000 people at risk in the DTES which include 3,000 who are homeless and 4,700 at high risk in privately run SRO’s. We’re mobilizing resources and coordinating operations to mitigate the challenges. We are activating networks in the community to create a stop-gap plan for the most urgent needs.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

1. Please refrain from visiting the DTES area.

2. Make a Monetary Donation. Donations go toward the ability for us to mobilize quickly to purchase and provide phones for communications, food, personal hygiene products, cleanings supplies, access to transportation, plus other needs that emerge.

All donations are being received by Network of Inner City Community Services Society (NICCSS) and will receive a charitable tax receipt.

3. We are getting a lot of requests to volunteer, but our community’s health and safety is our number one priority. Please sign up for our newsletter to be kept up-to-date on developing opportunities to get involved.


Sign up to the DTES Response newsletter here https://mailchi.mp/00c13b4ddddc/dtesresponse_newsletter

STAY HEALTHY and HAVE FUN 

We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts.