BC Recovery Benefit

Last updated on January 30, 2025

The BC Recovery Benefit provided a one-time, tax-free payment of up to $1,000 for eligible families and single parents and up to $500 for eligible individuals. It was calculated based on net income from your 2019 income tax return. Applications were closed effective July 1, 2021.

On this page

 


Audits

An audit is a check of your eligibility to receive the BC Recovery Benefit. If you’re selected for an audit, you’ll be contacted.

The communication you receive will outline information and documents you need to provide us. You can send your documents using our secure online service or by mail.

If you have questions about the documentation you’ve been asked to provide, contact us at BCRBPsupport@gov.bc.ca or call our toll-free line at 1-844-248-6638

Learn more about your rights and what to expect when you interact with us.


Redeterminations

Generally, your eligibility for this benefit may be redetermined (change in eligibility to receive the BC Recovery Benefit) within 3 years from the date on your initial Notice of Determination under the current legislation.

After this period has passed, no changes can be made to redetermine eligibility. However, the commissioner can review eligibility at any time if an applicant has made false statements or committed fraud in their application or in the information they provided to us. 

Example: If you applied for the BC Recovery Benefit and received a Notice of Determination on December 20, 2020, indicating that you were eligible and approved to receive the benefit, the 3-year period is from December 20, 2020 to December 20, 2023.

If you applied for the BC Recovery Benefit and we later determine that you were not eligible, we will issue you a Notice of Redetermination. If you were already issued a payment, you will be required to pay it back (repay). Interest and penalties may apply in certain circumstances.

If you make full payment within 30 days, no additional interest will be charged. If you do not pay or make acceptable arrangements to pay, we will begin our collection of the total amount due.

If you are unable to repay the amount in full, please contact us to find out about setting up a payment plan. To make arrangements to set up a payment plan, please call us at 250-387-6727 or toll free at 1-866 566-3066, or email us at RMBTaxpayerInquiries@gov.bc.ca. Be sure to include a contact phone number and your account number (DRF-XXXX-XXXX).

If you do not agree with a Notice of Determination or Redetermination you received about this benefit, you can appeal to the Minister within 90 days of the date on the Notice. 


How to submit documentation

If you were asked to submit additional documents to support our review of your eligibility, provide your file number or Letter ID when you submit your documents online or by mail: 

Online

Use our secure document uploader tool. This is the fastest and most secure way to send documentation.

Submit documents online

By mail

BC Recovery Benefit
Ministry of Finance
PO BOX 9439 Stn Prov Govt
Victoria BC  V8W 9V3

We strongly recommend that you do not send personal information by email, due to the risk that it may get intercepted. 

We’ll complete our review after we receive your information.

If you have questions about the documentation you’ve been asked to provide, contact us at BCRBPsupport@gov.bc.ca or call our toll-free line at 1-844-248-6638. If you need help uploading documents, call us.


I need to report changes to my eligibility

You must notify us within 90 days of any changes to your eligibility. Examples of things to report include:

  • A reassessment of your or your spouse's or common-law partner's 2019 net income by the Canada Revenue Agency that resulted in an increase to your family net income and therefore results in a reduction to the benefit amount you're entitled to

  • An error made in your application claiming the wrong individual as your cohabitating spouse or common-law partner or child

You can notify us by phone, mail or by submitting a letter securely online. To speed up our review, include your confirmation number or case ID and your income tax Notice of Reassessment. 

You can also notify us by emailing BCRBPsupport@gov.bc.ca. However, do not send personal information by email.

If you received income assistance, disability assistance, seniors’ supplement, hardship allowance or comfort allowance for the month of January or February 2021, you don’t need to notify us about changes to your eligibility.


Repayments, interest and penalties

You may need to repay the benefit if:

  • You applied and later realized you aren't eligible
  • You didn't apply and received a payment in error
  • We later determine that you're not eligible
  • A reassessment to your 2019 net income changes the benefit amount you’re entitled to

You would have received a Statement of Account from us indicating an amount owing.

How to repay

Online bill payment service

If you have online banking, you can use your financial institution’s online bill payment service to make a repayment. To do this, you need to add a payee to your account and enter your DRF account number.

  • The payee to add is BC STMT OF ACCT
  • The account number to add is the DRF number on your statement. Enter the letters DRF followed by the 8 numbers of the account in this format: DRF-XXXX-XXXX

Follow the instructions within your online banking account to add the payee ‘BC STMT OF ACCT’ and make the payment. If you’re unable to find the payee by searching ‘BC STMT OF ACCT’, try searching only one of the terms, such as ‘BC’ or ‘ACCT’.

If you’re still unable to find or add the payee, contact your financial institution for assistance.

By cheque

You can mail us a cheque made payable to the Minister of Finance to:

BC Recovery Benefit
Ministry of Finance
PO BOX 9439 Stn Prov Govt
Victoria BC  V8W 9V3

With the cheque, include either:

  • Your file number or Letter ID from your Notice of Redetermination or Statement of Account

Interest

You may be charged interest on:

  • The amounts of any BC Recovery Benefit that you must repay, and
  • Any related penalties

Interest on the benefit amount that must be repaid may be charged from the date the amount was originally paid to you.

Penalties

You must notify us if there were changes to your eligibility after your benefit was determined. 

A penalty of $10 per day to a maximum of $250 may be charged if you don't notify us. 

A penalty of up to $3,000 for gross negligence may be charged if you knowingly, or under circumstances amounting to gross negligence, make false statements that result in, or that would have resulted in, any individual receiving a payment that they would not have been eligible for.


Appeals

If you don’t agree with a determination or redetermination made about your benefit, you may appeal to the Minister. You cannot appeal being charged interest on amounts you must repay.

Your notice of appeal must be received by the Minister of Finance within 90 days from the date on the Notice of Determination or Redetermination.

You should still pay your assessment even if you're filing an appeal. If you don't pay the assessment, you'll continue to be charged interest and may be subject to collection action.


How the benefit worked

Families and single parents with a net income of up to $125,000 were eligible for $1,000. Eligible families and single parents with a net income of up to $175,000 were eligible for a reduced benefit amount.

Individuals with a net income of up to $62,500 were eligible for $500. Eligible individuals with a net income of up to $87,500 were eligible for a reduced benefit amount.


Eligibility requirements

You may need to review the eligibility criteria if the information you submitted in your application has changed.

Generally, the benefit was available to people:

Resident of B.C.

You were likely a resident of B.C. on December 18, 2020 if you lived in the province on that date. Review the residency eligibility to ensure you qualified as a resident.

Specific eligibility criteria

The following circumstances may affect eligibility for the benefit.

Families

Income tax return

 Individuals

People under 19

 Legislation

Income Tax Act, Part 15

Contact information

Call centre agents are available Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, excluding statutory holidays, to answer general questions or questions about additional documents you’ve been asked to provide.

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(within Canada) Toll Free
1-844-248-6638
For general and eligibility related enquiries
BCRBPsupport@gov.bc.ca