Moving, Transportation, and Living Costs

Effective: April 1, 2026

The Moving, Transportation & Living Costs Supplement may be provided when all of the following apply:

• There are no resources available to the family unit to cover the costs for which the supplement may be provided.

Note: Tenant compensation for moving costs is not considered a resource when determining eligibility for this supplement. For more information about tenant compensation, review the Income Treatment & Exemptions topic.

• A recipient in the family unit receives approval from the ministry before incurring those costs unless there were exceptional circumstances beyond the control of the family unit (including the ministry being unable to action a request in a timely fashion).
• The supplement is provided to assist with the cost of the least expensive appropriate mode of moving or transportation, or the least expensive appropriate living costs.

Moving Costs

The Moving, Transportation, & Living Costs supplement may be provided to eligible recipients to assist with moving costs up to a maximum of two times within a 12-month period, in the following circumstances:

• When moving anywhere in Canada, if a recipient in the family unit is not working but has arranged confirmed employment that would significantly promote the financial independence of the family unit and the recipient is required to move to begin that employment.

Note: Eligible recipients may use the Confirmed Job Supplement to pay for transportation to a confirmed job (e.g., to purchase a bus pass)

• When moving to another province or country, if the family unit is required to move to improve its living circumstances. To learn more, review the Moves outside of BC policy. 
• When moving within BC, if the family unit has been compelled to vacate their rented residential accommodation (i.e. they are forced to move because their accommodation is being sold, demolished or condemned, they have been evicted for any other reason, or they have no reasonable alternative other than to vacate). It is not required that an eviction be a legal eviction in accordance with the Residential Tenancy Act.

Note: Tenant compensation for moving costs is not considered a resource available to the family unit when determining eligibility for this supplement. For more information about tenant compensation, review the Income Treatment & Exemptions topic.

• When moving within BC, if the family unit’s shelter costs would be significantly reduced because of the move.
• When moving within BC to avoid an imminent threat to the physical safety of any person in the family unit.

Note: Imminent threat to the physical safety refers to an immediate need for assistance with moving costs where, without moving, the person (or any member of the family unit) is at risk of harm from being homeless, becoming homeless, unsafe living conditions (e.g. rodent infestations which are not being addressed by the landlord), or similar circumstances. It may also include risks from domestic violence (including physical, sexual, psychological, and emotional abuse as well as intimidation and stalking), the need to move to avoid exposure to substance use or a risk to the safety of children who require additional support e.g. from extended family. For supplements for persons fleeing abuse, review the Persons Fleeing Abuse topic.

Storage

Storage fees can be considered a moving cost and paid by the ministry when a family unit’s possessions must be placed into storage temporarily during the course of a move. This may include, but is not limited to:

• Moves to/from a transition house for persons fleeing abuse,
• Moves from homelessness to housing,
• Moves for recipients going into residential drug and/or alcohol treatment who must vacate their place of residence, and require storage over the short-term course of treatment.

Recipients are only eligible to have their storage fees paid if they are eligible for the moving supplement.  Subsequent storage fees (see example below) may be considered if they are related to the initial moving request. Storage fees should only be provided on a temporary basis related to an instance of moving and should not be provided for long-term situations. Verification should be provided for each month storage fees are requested. Storage fees may not be paid when the need for storage is not related to a move, although exceptional circumstances (e.g. hospitalization of recipient) may be considered.

Example:

A recipient requests the supplement to pay for their moving costs, which includes rental of a moving truck and one month of storage fees while they search for a new place. This counts as one move towards the 2 per 12-month limit. The following month, the recipient has not found a new place yet and requests another month of storage fees. Since the second month of storage is related to the initial move, this is considered a subsequent storage fee and does not apply to the 2 per 12-month limit.

Transportation and Living Costs

The Moving, Transportation, & Living Costs supplement may be provided to eligible recipients to assist with transportation costs and living costs, with no 12-month limit, in the following circumstances:

• When attending a hearing relating to a child protection proceeding under the Child, Family and Community Service Act, if a recipient is given notice of the hearing and is a party to the proceeding,

 or

• When transportation costs, living costs, and child care costs are required when a recipient is receiving help from the ministry with obtaining a maintenance order or written agreement and must attend any of the following:
  • Court hearings, when a recipient is given notice of the hearing and is a party to the proceeding
  • DNA paternity testing collection sites

Estimates

Recipients must provide a cost estimate in advance of the move (unless there are exceptional circumstances). Recipients may submit a cost estimate when requesting the supplement to pay for moving costs or after they confirm with the ministry that their reason for moving meets the eligibility criteria.

If a recipient intends to move their belongings themselves, they:

• May be issued the supplement to pay for gas and ferry fare, tolls etc. (as applicable) if they own or have the use of a suitable vehicle to move themselves.
• Must provide an estimate for the cost of a rental truck (and associated costs such as gas, ferry fares, tolls etc.), if they do not own or have the use of a suitable vehicle to move themselves.

If a recipient is unable to move their belongings themselves, they must provide a cost estimate from a moving company for moving their belongings. The ministry may request an additional estimate if it establishes that the estimate provided is unreasonable.  

Reimbursement for expenses

Recipients who move without first receiving approval from the ministry will be reimbursed if there were exceptional circumstances (including the ministry being unable to action a request in a timely fashion and the family is fleeing abuse and needed to act in an emergency situation).

Effective: July 8, 2022

Recipients may be eligible to receive the supplement for a move within BC if:

• They have been compelled to vacate their rental accommodation (i.e. they are forced to move because their home is being sold, demolished or condemned, they have been evicted for any reason, or they have no reasonable alternative other than to vacate)
• Their shelter costs would be significantly reduced because of the move
• They are required to move to avoid an imminent threat to the physical safety of any person in the family unit.

Note: Homelessness may be considered an imminent threat to physical safety (e.g., person moving from homelessness to housing in a different community).

• They are not working, have confirmed employment, and are required to move to begin that employment.

When recipients are required to move because of damage to the home they own and have insured, they must submit an insurance claim to their insurance company to pay their moving expenses.

Moves Outside of BC

Effective: July 8, 2022

Recipients may be eligible to receive the supplement for a move outside of BC if either:

• The move will significantly improve their living circumstances (i.e., move to a permanent, supportive, positive environment that is not available in this province), or
• They are not working but have arranged confirmed employment that would significantly promote the financial independence of the family unit and they must move to begin that employment.

If an escort is required, the ministry may pay the transportation, meal and minimum essential accommodation costs of the escort if the costs cannot be met by other means. 

The ministry does not pay for a person to move to BC.

Where recipients have been unable to make a successful transition to Canadian society from their country of origin, assistance may be approved by the Manager to enable the family unit to move to another country.

Only the costs of moving to the nearest port of entry in the receiving country may be paid.

Effective: July 2, 2004

Transportation costs and living costs may be provided to recipients who are required to attend a hearing related to child protection.

Recipients who are obligated to attend a hearing related to child protection issues may be eligible for funds to travel to the hearing only in cases where they have been given notice of a child protection action pursuant to the Child, Family & Community Services Act.

Assistance with transportation costs/living costs is limited to hearings within BC.

If a person is brought to court for a hearing and is unable to return home due to lack of funds, assistance may be provided to assist with transportation costs.

Effective: September 1, 2015

Family Maintenance Related Court Hearing

Transportation costs, living costs, and child care costs may be provided to recipients who are obliged to attend a court hearing when  receiving family maintenance services through the ministry.

Assistance with transportation costs, living costs and child care costs is limited to hearings within BC.

If a person is brought to court for a hearing and is unable to return home due to lack of funds, assistance may be provided to assist with transportation costs.

DNA Paternity Testing

Transportation costs, living costs, and child care costs may be provided in cases where medical tests for DNA paternity testing required by family maintenance services cannot be collected locally.

Effective: April 1, 2026

You can apply for a moving, transportation and living costs supplement in one of these ways:

• Telephone: toll-free at 1-866-866-0800 and accessing the self-serve telephone system
• In person: by attending a Ministry or Service BC office during office hours

Review the eligibility for moving supplements for more information.

Effective: April 1, 2026

When you request a moving supplement, you may be asked to submit further information regarding your:

• New accommodation
• Costs of any approved escort (these costs must be clearly recorded separately from those of family members relocating)
• Reason for the moving request and if the move is permanent

If you are moving outside of Canada, additional information may be requested such as confirmation:

• That you and your dependents are legally able to reside outside of Canada. For example, you have a valid student visa or have a legal representative that can provide written confirmation.
• There are no other resources available to help with the move. For example Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) or the receiving country.
• That no outstanding Canadian Criminal Code warrants exist for any family member leaving Canada. For example, you work with your local police to confirm there are no outstanding warrants.

If you are attending a child protection hearing or a family maintenance hearing, you may be asked to submit confirmation of the hearing to confirm the court dates.