BC Recovery Benefit
Last updated on February 6, 2024
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
- Redeterminations
- How to submit documentation
- I need to report changes to my eligibility
- Repayments, interest and penalties
- Appeals
- How the benefit worked
- Eligibility requirements
- Legislation
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.
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.
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.
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.
You must notify us within 90 days of any changes to your eligibility. Examples of things to report include:
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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
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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.
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.
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.
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.
Definitions for family, single parent and child
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.
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:
- Who were residents of B.C. on December 18, 2020
- Who were at least 19 years old on December 18, 2020, or met specific eligibility criteria
- Who filed a 2019 Canadian personal income tax return, or met specific eligibility criteria
- Who have a valid social insurance number, individual tax number or temporary tax number
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.
Residency eligibility
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
Specific eligibility criteria
The following circumstances may affect eligibility for the benefit.
Families
My spouse or common-law partner is not a B.C. resident
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.
I'm separated and have shared custody of my child or children
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.
Income tax return
I didn't file a 2019 income tax return
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.
My spouse or common-law partner didn't file a 2019 income tax return
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
Individuals
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.
I'm bankrupt
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.
I was in prison in 2020
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.
Deceased individual or partner
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.
I'm exempt from paying income tax
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.
People under 19
I'm under 19
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.
I'm under 19 and have a spouse or common-law partner
If you were under 19 and lived with a spouse or common-law partner, you were eligible for the family benefit.
I'm under 19 and I'm a single parent
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.
Legislation
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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1-844-248-6638
BCRBPsupport@gov.bc.ca