BC Recovery Benefit

The benefit defines a family as an individual and their spouse or common-law partner, unless they are separated. Both people must have met all eligibility requirements. 

The benefit defines a single parent as an individual who is the only parent residing with the child in B.C. and who is the principal caregiver to at least one child. 

A child is someone under the age of 19 on December 18, 2020 who would not be eligible for the benefit on their own. However, if payments were made for the child under the Children's Special Allowance Act (Canada) for December 2020, you cannot claim the benefit in respect of that child. 

Filing 2020 taxes

If you filed your 2020 tax return as a resident of B.C. and you were a resident in B.C. on December 18, 2020, you’re a resident of B.C. for this benefit.

Temporarily living in another province

If you physically resided outside B.C. on December 18, 2020 but B.C. is where you usually live, and you filed your 2020 tax return as a resident of B.C., you’re a resident in B.C. for this benefit. 

This could include students who attend school outside of B.C.

Deemed resident of Canada

If you were a deemed resident of Canada, you’re not a resident of B.C. and weren’t eligible for the benefit.

Deemed residents of Canada aren’t eligible for other provincial benefits paid through the income tax system and are not generally liable for B.C. income tax.

Residential ties

You can use your residential ties to determine if you’re a resident of B.C. Your primary residential ties include your:
 

• Home (owned or leased) and personal property
• Spouse or common-law partner
• Dependents

There are secondary residential ties that could determine your B.C. residency. To evaluate their significance, these ties must be looked at collectively. They can include your:
 

• Personal property in B.C. like furniture, clothing, automobiles and recreational vehicles
• Social ties with B.C. including memberships in B.C. recreational or religious organizations
• Economic ties with B.C. including employment with a B.C. employer, active involvement in a B.C. business, bank accounts, retirement savings plans, credit cards and securities accounts
• Enrollment in the Medical Services Plan
• B.C. driver's licence
• Vehicle registration in B.C.
• Seasonal dwelling place in B.C.
• Memberships in B.C. unions or professional organizations

If you were a B.C. resident but your spouse was not, you were only eligible for the individual benefit.

If you were the principal caregiver of at least one child who resided with you in B.C., you were only eligible for the single parent benefit. You’re considered the principal caregiver if you have primary responsibility for the child most of the time.

If you were living apart from your spouse or common-law partner for a period of at least 90 days because of a breakdown in the relationship and you had not reconciled, you're considered separated for the purpose of the benefit.

The effective day of your separated status is the day you started living apart.

Each person could be eligible for the benefit if all eligibility criteria were met.

If you were separated and had shared custody of your child or children, each parent could be eligible for the individual benefit.

You could be eligible for the single parent benefit if you were the principal caregiver to at least one child. You’re considered the principal caregiver if you have primary responsibility for the child most of the time.

Note: If you were a shared-custody parent for the Canada Child Benefit or the GST/HST credit, you’re not considered the principal caregiver for the child.

You must have filed a 2019 return to apply for the benefit, even if you were not required to file a 2019 Canadian personal income tax return because you earned less than $12,200 and met other criteria exempting you.

If your spouse or common-law partner on December 18, 2020 was not required to file a 2019 Canadian personal income tax return, you were eligible for the family benefit without their return if:

• Your spouse or common-law partner was not a resident in Canada at any time in 2019, or
• You have:
  • Filed your 2019 Canadian personal income tax return and reported you were married to or in a common-law relationship, and
  • Claimed the spouse or common-law partner amount on line 30300 of your 2019 Canadian personal income tax return

If you weren't required to file a 2019 Canadian personal income tax return because you became resident in Canada for tax purposes during 2020, you were still eligible for the benefit.

You were required to include your income from all sources for 2019.

• All amounts must be converted into Canadian dollars using the Bank of Canada exchange rate in effect when you received the income
• We will require documentation to support your income

If you received a payment for income assistance, disability assistance, seniors’ supplement, hardship allowance or comfort allowance anytime for the month of January or February 2021, you automatically receive the full benefit amount.

You needed to apply for the benefit if you started receiving social support payments for March 2021 or later.

If you or your spouse or common-law partner became bankrupt in 2019, the amount of the benefit you were eligible for is based on the total of your pre- and post-bankruptcy income.

If you were confined to a prison or similar institution for a period of 90 days or longer that includes December 18, 2020, you were not eligible for the benefit.

A deceased individual’s estate could be eligible for the individual benefit if the individual was alive on December 18, 2020.

If you were married or in a common-law relationship on December 18, 2020 and your partner has since died, you were still eligible for the family benefit instead of the individual benefit.

If you’re an employee of a foreign country, or a family member of an employee of a foreign country, and you’re exempt from paying income tax in Canada, you were not eligible for the benefit.

To be eligible for this benefit, you must be at least 19 years old on December 18, 2020, unless you have a spouse or common-law partner or are a parent of a child who resides with you.  

If you were under 19 and lived with a spouse or common-law partner, you were eligible for the family benefit.

If you were under 19 and was the principal caregiver to at least one child, you were eligible for the single parent benefit. You’re considered the principal caregiver if you have primary responsibility for the child most of the time.