COVID-19

Message from CHBA

South Okanagan President

In these extremely challenging times, I want to share our support as a member association to our community. Because the health and safety of our members and civic partners is our highest priority, we had to make the decision to cancel all upcoming events in the South Okanagan. It is our hope to reschedule most gatherings in the future and we will keep you posted.

The home building industry in the South Okanagan is resilient and used to managing risk. COVID-19 will challenge us, but we will work together and will come through it. I wish you all the best in health and in managing business during these unprecedented times. If you are a member in need of any assistance on your work sites or finding resources, please call the South Okanagan office and Sarah will assist you.  

Take Care,
Joe Wackerbauer
President, CHBA South Okanagan
Okanagan Custom Homes

Managing Construction Sites

During COVID-19 Pandemic

As the challenges caused by the COVID-19 outbreak continue to shift, the B.C. government and Dr. Bonnie Henry, provincial health officer, are taking unprecedented measures to slow the transmission of COVID-19.

Recently, Henry issued an order under the Public Health Act prohibiting the gathering of people in excess of 50 people at a place of which a person is the owner, occupier or operator, or for which they are otherwise responsible. Employers in the construction industry are asking for clarity about what this means for them. 

While this order does not apply to construction sites as a whole, the public health officer is directing employers to take all necessary precautions to minimize the risks of COVID-19 transmission and illness to themselves and their employees. This includes:

  • There should be no more than 50 people in the same space in any circumstances.
  • Where possible, employees should maintain a distance of two metres apart from each other.
  • Post signage that limits the number of occupants in any elevator to four people at a time.
  • Reduce in-person meetings and other gatherings and hold site meetings in open spaces or outside.
  • Increase the number of hand washing stations and post signage that identifies their location.
  • Maintain a list of employees that are currently working on sites and update this list daily.
  • All common areas and surfaces should be cleaned at the end of each day. Examples include washrooms, shared offices, common tables, desks, light switches and door handles.
  • Anyone with COVID-19-like symptoms, such as sore throat, fever, sneezing or coughing, must self-isolate at home for 14 days.

Section 4.85 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation does provide for a minimum standard around the provision of washrooms and hand washing facilities. Where plumbed facilities are impracticable, employers must provide access to portable washroom and hand-washing facilities. Those facilities must be maintained in good working order and must be provided with the supplies necessary for their use.

Employers should reassess their work environment every day and keep updated with the information posted on the Province’s website: www.gov.bc.ca/COVID19

The B.C. government is doing everything it can to help contain the spread of COVID-19, and the safety of British Columbians remains its top priority.

Learn More: For more information on the COVID-19 response, visit: www.gov.bc.ca/COVID19

COUNCIL OF CONSTRUCTION ASSOCIATIONS OF BC (COCABC)

As of 3:30pm, March 20, 2020, the COCABC officially confirm that WorkSafeBC is not contemplating shutting down worksites in BC.

Additional Support for Canadian Businesses

The government’s fiscal stimulus package has now increased to $202 billion. The package is comprised of a 75% wage subsidy, government-backed credit lines and more tax deferrals to inject cash into the country’s nearly 1.2 million small- and medium-sized businesses. CHBA National is continuing to engage with government and stakeholders to inform further responses and support. Information is still to come on the eligibility criteria and we will update you as soon as it becomes available.

As more health and safety measures are put in place in response to COVID-19, businesses across the country are being affected. Below are some best practices for business owners to consider during the current pandemic as well as any future event, aggregated by CHBA

  1. Follow the Guidance of Health Authorities
  2. Review your Contract(s)
  3. Communicate with your Client(s)
  4. Stay Informed About Government Measures to Help Businesses
  5. Follow Workplace Best Practices

Support from the Government of Canada:

The Government of Canada has released resources to ensure businesses and citizens have support during this very fluid situation.

Economic Response Plan
On March 18, 2020, the Prime Minister announced a new set of economic measures to help stabilize the economy during this challenging period. These measures, delivered as part of the Government of Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan, will provide up to $27 billion in direct support to Canadian workers and businesses.

  • Small Business Loan:
    • Low-interest loans up to $100,000 if your business has been generating revenues for at least 24 months by the BDC. To find out eligibility for the loan, please click here. Additional updates on BDC news can be found here.
  • Working Capital Loan:
    • This loan may be available to your network and would allow a small business to gain a line of credit for operational needs.
  • Purchase order financing:
    • Cover up to 90% of the purchase order amount to ease cash flow to your suppliers.
  • Deferring of Income Tax:
    • Allow all businesses to defer, until after August 31, 2020, the payment of any income tax amounts that become owing on or after today and before September 2020.
  • Helping businesses keep their employees:
    • The Federal government is providing temporary wage subsidies for a period of 3 months. The subsidy will be equal to 10% of remuneration paid during that period, up to a maximum subsidy of $1,375 per employee and $25,000 per employer. Businesses will be able to benefit immediately from this support by reducing their remittances of income tax withheld on their employees’ remuneration.

You can find additional information at the following link: https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/economic-response-plan.html#business

Support from Financial Services and Additional Grants:

  1. Facebook Small Business Grants Program:
    • Offering $100 million in cash grants and ad credits for 30,000 eligible small businesses. Applications will be available in the coming weeks. Please see the link above to sign up for more updates and information.
  2. Big 6 Canadian Banks (TD, BMO, CIBC, ScotiaBank, RBC, National Bank):
    • Offering various financial relief programs for clients impacted by COVID-19 including potential deferral of payments on mortgages (up to six months), deferral of payments on loans and credit cards, and more. Please click on the corresponding bank to see additional information provided by the banks.

Extraordinary Powers under a

State of Provincial Emergency


Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, is using extraordinary powers under a state of provincial emergency to keep British Columbians safe, maintain essential goods and services, and support the Province’s ongoing response to novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
These include:

  • Supply chain: Establishing a new Provincial Supply Chain Coordination Unit to co-ordinate goods and services distribution; taking a more active role in co-ordinating essential goods and services movement by land, air, marine and rail; and suspending any bylaws that restrict goods delivery at any time of day.
  • Protecting consumers: Banning the secondary resale of food, medical supplies, personal protective equipment, cleaning and other essential supplies; and restricting quantities of items purchased at point of sale.
  • Enforcement: Enabling municipal bylaw officers to support enforcement of the provincial health officer’s orders for business closures and gatherings, in line with offences under the Public Health Act.
  • Travel: Ensuring all passenger and car-ferry services provide minimum service levels and priority access for residents, and essential goods and workers.
  • Protecting B.C.’s most vulnerable: Making it easier to support critical services for vulnerable people, like food banks and shelters.
  • Co-ordination: Suspending local states of emergency specific to the COVID-19 pandemic, except for the City of Vancouver; giving municipal councils the ability to hold more flexible meetings to expedite decisions; and co-ordinating potential use of local publicly owned facilities, like community centres, for self-isolation, testing, medical care, warehousing and distribution.

Developed by Emergency Management BC in consultation with other government ministries and the provincial health officer (PHO) have created a list of essential services as well as ordered some businesses to close. A list of essential services can be found here.

HOW CAN WE HELP?

The Penticton Regional Hospital is in need of your help.  Due to the pandemic of COVID-19 the Penticton Regional Hospital is in need of surgical/N95 face masks, safety goggles, faceshields and nitrile gloves immediately.

As a community we can help the staff of the Penticton Regional Hospital by donating any surgical/N95 masks, safety goggles, faceshields, and nitrile gloves we have available at our work sites, offices or homes.  Simply collect all surgical/N95 masks, safety goggles, faceshields and nitrile gloves you have available and donate them by driving to the Penticton Regional Hospital Emergency Department entrance (550 Carmi Avenue).  Park in the emergency drop off zone (old part of the hospital).  Call the emergency department unit clerk at 250-492-9001 and explain you have a donation.  Make sure to stay in your car.  A staff member will come outside to pick up your donation.

The Penticton Regional Hospital is our community's first defense from COVID-19.  Let us show our support for the brave staff that are putting themselves at risk everyday by making it our priority to donate these critical medical supplies.  Together, we can make a difference!

FEDERAL SUPPORT FOR

BUSINESS AND WORKERS

See below link for response plan with up to $27 billion in direct support to Canadian workers and businesses. The Government, through CMHC, is also providing increased flexibility for homeowners facing financial difficulties to defer mortgage payments on homeowner CMHC-insured mortgage loans. CMHC will permit lenders to allow payment deferral beginning immediately.

CANADA COVID ECONOMIC RESPONSE PLAN

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UPDATES

District of Summerland

See this document for all Building and Development Services updates from the District of Summerland.

RDOS

Corporate and satellite offices are closed to the public effective immediately.  Will still be accepting building permit applications which can be submitted electronically or dropped off using the drop box at the 101 Martin Street address. See this document for more details.

Town of Oliver

The Town of Oliver has closed Town Hall but will be answering emails and calls. Inspections will be conducted on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. For planning and development questions, contact Randy Houle at 250 485 6206 or rhoule@oliver.ca

City of Penticton

City Hall is now closed to the public. See this document for a variety of changes in development and building services with the City of Penticton.

Town of Osoyoos

Plan checking and building inspections remain unchanged.

Town of Nelson

City Hall offices are currently closed to the public. The Building and Planning Department is still working and processing all application types. All applications must be made via email for the time being. Payments are made by credit card over the phone or by cheque. Inspections are still taking place.

Review your Contract

All your contracts should have specific procedures documented to prepare you and your clients for situations that are out of your control (including Force Majeure events). For existing contracts, defer to the procedures you set in place. Those procedures should include your cancellation and rescheduling policies, as well as how you communicate with your clients regarding project timelines. 

Going forward, if you do not already have illness/epidemics/pandemics and other examples explicitly listed under what constitutes as a Force Majeure event, you should consider including them to future contracts.

You can find language on what to include regarding unavoidable delays in CHBA’s Residential Renovation Contracts: A Guide For Renovators (page 17).

Extra Resources

See below for additional resources pertaining to our industry:

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