A high volume of British Columbians accessing the province’s COVID-19 recovery benefit website has slowed down the application process.
Some users have reported getting an error on the site when making their application for the benefit of up to $1,000.
A Finance Ministry spokeswoman says there were about 2,500 applications in the first few minutes of the site opening on Friday.
The page is fluctuating, opening and crashing as some users get kicked off on the second page.
The ministry is asking those applying to be patient.
“It is just working slowly for some people due to the volume of applications. If the application isn’t loading for people, they should close the webpage, and try the application a short time later,” said the spokeswoman.
The ministry says more than 84,000 British Columbians have successfully applied already. If the applications are filled in correctly, with no missing information, individuals can expect to receive the benefit within five business days of completing their application.
Finance Minister Selina Robinson has asked the public to be respectful to staff at Service BC call centre as they help people apply for the benefit, which was promised by the NDP during the election campaign.
The BC Recovery Benefit application page went live at 8:30am this morning. It’s experiencing extremely high volume. We ask that everyone please be patient, we are aware that some are having difficulty and we are working on the issue.
— BC Government News (@BCGovNews) December 18, 2020
The BC Recovery Benefit is a one-time, tax-free payment for eligible families, single parents or individuals. The amount you’re eligible for is calculated based on your income.
READ MORE: Online applications for COVID-19 BC Recovery Benefit now open
Families, including single parents, with an annual income under $125,000 last year can expect to receive $1,000 while those earning up to $175,000 qualify for a reduced amount.
Single people earning an income under $62,500 have been promised $500 and those who earned up to $87,500 qualify for less than that.
An estimated 90 per cent of adults in the province are eligible for the benefit and applications will be accepted until June 2021.
Applicants for the benefit must be at least 19 years old by Dec. 18 unless they are the primary caregiver of a child or living with a spouse.
With files from the Canadian Press.
Kori Sidaway
Jasmine Bala
