COVID-19 Legislation

This page was updated July 5, 2022

In response to the COVID-19 outbreak both the BC and Federal governments have passed emergency legislation.  This page will collect links to those statutes and capture some basic information about their passage into law.

 

The BC Government has emergency powers under the Public Health Act (SBC 2008 c. 28) and the Emergency Program Act (RSBC 1996 c.111).  Orders made under the Public Health Act can be made orally during the emergency. 

Resource  Where to find 

Orders made under the Public Health Act

News updates from the Public safety and Solicitor General

A listing of COVID-19 related regulations, orders in council and ministerial orders (though not exhaustive)

Province-wide restrictions made by under the Public Health Act

A list of general emergency support and information from the province

Legislative Assembly COVID-19 updates, including their Safety Plan

Progress of Bills in BC (Current)

Ministerial Orders released by the Ministry of Public Safety & Solicitor General in relation to the state of emergency (beginning with order 2020_M082)

BC Courts have released several notices and announcements concerning their operations during the COVID-19 outbreak. Each court has a section on their homepage listing these notices

The following Ministerial Orders have been made in relation to COVID-19:

Ministerial orders (2022)

M073 (reviewed up to and including M197).

Ministerial orders (2021)

M003, M005, M010, M012, M013, M016, M017, M028, M032, M033, M051, M062, M083, M108, M119, M124, M129, M148, M151, M156, M165, M166, M170, M172, M176, M177, M180, M181, M182, M186, M192, M200, M212, M213, M222, M223, M224, M242, M273, M274, M275, M290 & M307.

Ministerial orders (2020)

M082-M086, M089, M091, M093, M094, M098, M105, M114, M115, M116, M120, M121, M128, M133, M138, M139, M150, M152, M159, M161, M162, M166, M167, M168, M179, M180, M183, M192, M193, M195, M220, M248, M257, M307, M309, M314, M321, M330, M358, M376, M381, M382, M389, M405, M416, M419, M420, M425, M429, M431 M453, M456 & M480.

BC statutes related to COVID-19

The following acts have been passed since the emergency was declared:

Title

Chapter number

Bill number

Royal assent date

(Coming into Force)

Supply Act (No 2) 2020

S.B.C. 2020, c. 5

Bill 15

Mar. 23, 2020

Employment Standards Amendment Act (No 2), 2020

S.B.C. 2020, c. 6

Bill 16

Mar. 23, 2020

COVID-19 Related Measures Act

S.B.C. 2020, c. 8

Bill 19

Jul. 8, 2020

Economic Stabilization (COVID-19) Act

S.B.C. 2020, c. 19

Bill 18

Aug. 14, 2020

Supply Act, 2020-2021 (Supplementary Estimates No. 3)

S.B.C. 2020, c. 23

Bill 2

Dec. 17, 2020

Home Owner Grant Amendment Act, 2021

S.B.C. 2021, c. 4

Bill 6

Mar. 25, 2021

Employment Standards Amendment Act, 2021 S.B.C. 2021, c. 10 Bill 3 Apr. 27, 2021
Finance Statutes Amendment Act (No. 2), 2021 S.B.C. 2021, c. 14 Bill 9 May 20, 2021
Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act, 2021 S.B.C. 2021, c. 16 Bill 10 Jun. 17, 2021
Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 2021 S.B.C. 2021, c. 17 Bill 11 Jun. 17, 2021
Employment Standards Amendment Act (No. 2), 2021 S.B.C. 2021, c. 12 Bill 13 May 20, 2021
Access to Services (COVID-19) Act S.B.C. 2021, c. 33 Bill 20 Nov. 25, 2021
Attorney General Statutes Amendment Act, 2021 S.B.C. 2021, c. 34 Bill 30 Nov. 25, 2021

 BC regulations related to COVID-19

The following regulations have been made related to COVID-19:

Title Regulation Number Order Number Deposit Date
COVID-19 (South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority Act) Regulation 107/2021 247/2021 April 19, 2021

 

The Federal Government draws its emergency powers from the Emergencies Act (R.S.C. 1985, c. 22 (4th Supp.) and the Quarantine Act (S.C. 2005, c. 20)

Found from the Progress of Bills from the Parliament of Canada, the following acts have been passed since the emergency was declared:

Title Chapter number Bill number Royal assent date

(Coming into Force)

An Act Respecting Certain Measures in Response to COVID-19

(COVID-19 Emergency Response Act)

S.C. 2020, c.  5 Bill C-13 Mar. 25, 2020
A second Act respecting certain measures in response to COVID-19 (COVID-19 Emergency Response Act, No. 2) S.C. 2020, c. 6 Bill C-14 Apr. 11, 2020
An Act respecting Canada emergency student benefits (coronavirus disease 2019) (Canada Emergency Student Benefit Act) S.C. 2020, c. 7 Bill C-15 May 1, 2020
An Act respecting further COVID-19 measures S.C. 2020, c. 11 Bill C-20 Jul. 27, 2020

An Act relating to certain measures in response to COVID-19 (COVID-19 Response Measures Act)

S.C. 2020, c.12 Bill C-4 Oct. 2, 2020
An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy and Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy) S.C. 2020, c. 13 Bill C-9 Nov. 19, 2020
An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act (additional regular benefits), the Canada Recovery Benefits Act (restriction on eligibility) and another Act in response to COVID-19 S.C. 2021, c. 3 Bill C-24 Mar. 17, 2021
An Act to implement certain provisions of the economic statement tabled in Parliament on November 30, 2020 and other measures (Economic Statement Implementation Act, 2020) S.C. 2021, c. 7 Bill C-14 May 6, 2021
An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on April 19, 2021 and other measures (Budget Implementation Act, 2021, No. 1) S.C. 2021, c. 23 Bill C-30 Jun. 29, 2021
An Act to provide further support in response to COVID-19 S.C. 2021, c. 26 Bill C-2 Dec. 17, 2021

An Act respecting certain measures related to COVID-19

S.C. 2022, c. 2 Bill C-10 Mar. 4, 2022

Municipalities have legislation which allows them to declare emergencies and take action in a crisis.  On May 26, 2020 the Provincial Government suspended all municipal states of emergency, except for the city of Vancouver, citing a need to centralize a response province-wide in Ministerial Order M083

Vancouver’s emergency powers are granted in s.173 of the Vancouver Charter.