In a bid to protect some of the province’s most vulnerable people during the COVID-19 pandemic, the BC Government is banning evictions for non-payment of rent in all BC Housing-funded buildings.

The move comes as a number of British Columbians are out of work and isolating at home to try and reduce the spread of the coronavirus.

In a statement on Saturday, the government says it will also develop protocols and sites where vulnerable people experiencing homelessness can isolate. So far, sites have been identified in 16 communities according to the government.

“Frontline workers are working tirelessly to ensure that vulnerable residents are protected across the province, recognizing the significant added risks that vulnerable people face in the context of the COVID-19 crisis,” said Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Selina Robinson.

“We are committed to making sure these frontline workers have the support they need to do their job – whether that’s in the form of safe spaces for people who need isolation or personal protective equipment for staff working in the field. We are all in this together.”

She says the province will ensure that housing providers will continue to get payments so staff and operating costs can be paid, while also creating a centralized procurement process for critical supplies like gloves and cleaning products.

Robinson also says ‘help is on the way’ for renters during the COVID-19 crisis, with more details expected early next week.

“I know that many people are worried about how they are going to make ends meet, put food on the table, and pay rent by April 1,” added Robinson. “We also want to make sure that [people] have the ability to pay rent, and that is work that the Finance Minister (Carole James) is undertaking.”

The province stopped short of a province-wide ban on evictions during the pandemic, something which renters and tenant advocates have been calling for as lock downs and layoffs have greatly impact wages.