Columbia College will continue to provide support during this unprecedented and evolving situation. The following FAQs have been compiled to help CC students during the current COVID-19 outbreak.
General Questions
If you have lost income because of COVID-19, and are eligible, the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) will provide you with temporary income support. The CERB will provide you with $500 a week for up to 16 weeks.
To be eligible for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit, you must reside in Canada and have a valid Social Insurance Number. There are other eligibility requirements that must also be met.
Workers who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents – including temporary foreign workers and international students – may be eligible to receive the Benefit if they meet the other eligibility requirements.
Visit the CERB website for eligibility and application requirements.
Health and Well Being
If a student has a respiratory infection, they are asked to contact a clinic for direction (811).
Students who are ill and not able to attend or participate in online classes, are to fill out a self-declaration form and contact their Instructor.
Staff from the College will be in touch with each student once the self-declaration form is submitted.
The BC Ministry of Health has developed a self assessment tool that will help determine whether a student may need further assessment or testing for COVID-19. Students can complete this assessment for themselves, or on behalf of someone else. Please visit: https://covid19.thrive.health/
We are in constant contact with health professionals and we are doing everything we can to keep the community safe, including homestay families who are in close contact with our students. Please visit: http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19/common-questions
The province has a launched a new non-medical information line for British Columbians who have questions about COVID-19: 1-888-COVID19. Phone lines are open 7 days a week from 7:30 AM to 8 PM, and information is available in more than 110 languages.
For students who are on guard.me, be assured that all the provisions of guard.me policies for inbound (to Canada) coverage remain in force and there are no special conditions or exclusions due to the prevalence of the virus. More information about coverage during this time can be found at guard.me’s Travelling to Canada FAQs.
Travel
All students have been asked not to go to their home countries until further notice as the federal government has shut the border to non-citizens. In addition, some countries will not support use of the application software needed to complete a course.
If you choose to travel to Canada, study permit holders may be permitted to enter Canada during the travel restriction period. This applies to individuals who held a study permit or were approved for a study permit before the travel restrictions took effect on March 18.
If you choose to pursue your studies as planned, please be aware that you are required by law to observe a 14-day self-isolation period and complete a self-isolation plan.