Response to COVID-19
COVID-19 information related to laws and regulations, courts, justice services, emergency orders, tribunals, boards, commissions and Attorney General reports to the speaker under the CRMA.
Last updated: February 8, 2021
On this page:
- Laws and regulations
- Courts
- Justice services
- Emergency orders
- Tribunals, boards and commissions
- Attorney General reports to the speaker under the CRMA
Laws and regulations
- Limitation periods to commence court proceedings are suspended
- Statutory decision-makers can waive, suspend or extend time periods related to their powers
- Essential services cannot be held liable for damages caused by exposure to COVID-19 while continuing to operate
- The COVID-19 Related Measures Act will help formalize and unwind emergency orders
- Amendments to the Wills, Estates and Succession Act will enable courts to accept electronic wills and to permit the remote witnessing of wills
Courts
- Ongoing court operations and in-person attendance in B.C.'s justice system
- Civil jury trials suspended, ensuring timely access to justice during COVID-19
- Holding traffic court at school sites and retired judges returning to service are two of several actions taken to help reduce pandemic-related backlogs and delays
- Information for the Court of Appeal
- Information for the Supreme Court of BC
- Information for the Provincial Court of BC
- Information for the Federal Court
Justice services
- Information on Parenting Arrangements, Child & Spousal Support and Protection Orders
- Family Justice Services Division Response to COVID-19
- Legal Aid BC is taking applications by phone
Emergency orders
The Emergency Program Act and related orders help government to respond to disasters and emergencies in B.C. Under a state of emergency, the Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General can issue orders under authority given to him by the Emergency Program Act.
- Electronic Attendance at Statutory Meetings (COVID-19) Order – May 20, 2020
- Encampment Health and Safety (COVID-19) Victoria Enforcement Order – May 20, 2020
- Electronic Witnessing of Enduring Powers of Attorney and Representation Agreements (COVID-19) Order – May 19, 2020
- Electronic Witnessing of Wills (COVID-19) Order – May 19, 2020
- Local Government Finance (COVID-19) Order – May 15, 2020
- Encampment Health and Safety (COVID-19) Vancouver Enforcement Order – May 8, 2020
- Encampment Health and Safety (COVID-19) Order No. 2 – May 8, 2020
- Local Government Meetings and Bylaw Process (COVID-19) Order No. 2 – May 1, 2020
- Electronic Attendance at Credit Union Meetings (COVID-19) Order – April 30, 2020
- Employment and Assistance (COVID-19) Order – April 28, 2020
- Protection Against Liability (COVID-19) Order No. 2 – April 22, 2020
- Supreme Court and Family Applications (COVID-19) Order – April 22, 2020
- Electronic Attendance at Corporate Meetings (COVID-19) Order – April 21, 2020
- Prohibition on Unconscionable Prices for Essential Goods and Supplies (COVID-19) Order – April 17, 2020
- Electronic Attendance at Strata Property Meetings (COVID-19) Order – April 15, 2020
- Health Care Labour (COVID-19) – April 10, 2020
- Limitation Periods (COVID-19) Order – April 8, 2020
- Protection Against Liability (COVID-19) Order – April 2, 2020
- Provincial Compliance Officer (COVID-19) Order – March 31, 2020
- Residential Tenancy (COVID-19) Order – March 30, 2020
- Local Authorities and Essential Goods and Supplies (COVID-19) Order – March 26, 2020
- Bylaw Enforcement Officer (COVID-19) Order – March 26, 2020
- Declaration of Provincial State of Emergency – March 18, 2020
Tribunals, boards and commissions
Information on tribunals, boards and commissions in response to COVID-19.
Attorney General reports to the speaker under the CRMA
Under Section 4 (2) of the COVID-19 Related Measures Act (CRMA), the minister responsible for the administration of the CRMA must report to the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly on any regulation made under that Act. Such a report must be made within five days from the date the regulation was made, and must contain a copy of the relevant regulation. On receipt of a report under this section, the legislation requires the Speaker to lay the report before the Legislative Assembly as soon as possible.
The following reports have been submitted to the Speaker as per the requirements of CRMA:
- OIC 061 February 8, 2021 – Provincial Court Proceedings (PDF, 69KB)
- OIC 698 December 22, 2020 - Food Delivery Services (PDF, 74KB)
- OIC 659 December 21, 2020 - Extension of items 2 (formerly MO 116) and 3 (formerly MO 138) in Schedule 1 (PDF, 67KB)
- OIC 655 December 21, 2020 - Limitation Periods delinked from SOE (PDF, 75KB)
- OIC 620 December 14, 2020 - Civil Liability (PDF, 73KB)
- OIC 593 November 24, 2020 - Use of Face Coverings in Indoor Public Spaces (PDF, 61KB)
- OIC 579 November 13 - Residential Tenancy Act and Manufactured Home Park Tenancy Act (No. 3) Regulation (PDF, 60KB)
- OIC 566 September 20 - Food and Liquor Premises, Gatherings and Events (COVID-19) Order (PDF, 61KB)
- MO179 September 4 - Commercial Tenancy (COVID-19) Order (PDF, 11KB)
- MO314 August 24 - Event Limitations (PDF, 81KB)
- MO256 August 19 - BC Ferries Medical Assured Loading Travel (PDF, 726KB)
- OIC 475 August 14 - Residential Tenancy Act (PDF, 858KB)
- OIC 457 August 7 - Passenger Transportation Act (PDF, 11KB)
- MO120 August 7 - Limits on Actions and Proceedings (PDF, 151KB)
- MO98 August 4- Limitation Periods (PDF, 79KB)
- MO84 August 4 - Local Authorities and Essential Goods and Supplies (COVID-19) (PDF, 74KB)
- MO195 August 4 - Residential Tenancy Act and Manufactured Home Park Tenancy Act (PDF, 74 KB)
- M220 July 17 - Health Care Labour Adjustment (COVID-19) Order No. 2 (PDF, 85KB)
- OIC 391 July 14 - Bringing CRMA Into Force (PDF, 254KB)
