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COVID-19 Relief Fund for Small Businesses Application – Terms and Conditions

1. To be eligible for the COVID Relief, the Small Business must meet all of the following criteria:

    a. Being a customer of BC Hydro that receives service under Rate Schedules 1205, 1234, 1300, 1301 1310, or 1311, but excluding service under any of these described rate schedules that is:

        i. Unmetered service;
        ii. For use at the premises of any governmental agencies or departments or any publicly funded businesses, organizations, or entities;
        iii. For use at the premises of school districts, public or private elementary, secondary, or post-secondary schools and institutions;
        iv. For use in common areas of any type of multiple occupancy buildings;
        v. For operation of separately metered services and associated equipment for telecommunication, billboards or similar form of advertising, or outdoor or street lighting; or
        vi. For use at the premises of any businesses, organizations or entities managed by BC Hydro’s Key Account Management Department.

    b. Having no more than 10 BC Hydro General Service accounts, including any and all accounts for Large General Service, Medium General Service and Small General Service.
For clarity, General Service, Large General Service, Medium General Service and Small General Service are determined according to the definition of these terms in BC Hydro’s Electric Tariff and the records of BC Hydro.

    c. Being BC Hydro’s customer as of March 31, 2020.

    d. Having stopped operating the business, as a result of COVID-19 emergency, voluntarily or mandated by orders and directives from the federal, provincial or local government. “Stop operating the business” means the full closure of the business, where the business has not been able, through any manner, to engage an individual or individuals (such as employees or contractors) in carrying on the business, or to generate revenues.

2. The application for the COVID Relief must be received no later than June 30, 2020. The application must include document proof that the Small Business has stopped operating its business, such as customer notification, public announcement and other like documents.

3. A separate application for the COVID Relief must be submitted for each eligible BC Hydro General Service account.

4. The Small Business must notify BC Hydro by emailing to covid19sgs@bchydro.com if any information provided in the application changes at any time after the submission of the application.

5. For the Small Business eligible for the COVID Relief and for the period (Eligible Period) between

    i. April 1, 2020 or the Date of Closure, whichever is later, and
    ii. June 30, 2020,

BC Hydro waives the following charges set out in the rate schedule under which the Small Business is receiving service: Basic Charge, Energy Charge and Minimum Charge. The Basis Charge is waived for each day during the Eligible Period. The Energy Charge to be waived is calculated on the basis of energy consumed as registered by a meter or meters of BC Hydro or as estimated by BC Hydro for the Eligible Period. The Small Business will remain responsible for other charges (if any) for the Eligible Period. Any goods and services tax (GST) or any other tax or levy which BC Hydro may be lawfully authorized or required to add to its rates and charges remains applicable to and responsible by the Small Business.

6. BC Hydro, without liability of any kind and in its sole discretion, decides the eligibility of businesses, organizations or entities that may receive the COVID Relief and the amount of the waiver they receive according to the records of BC Hydro.

7. BC Hydro may, in its sole discretion, at any time, verify and audit the accuracy and completeness of the information provided in this application, using any records available to BC Hydro, including, without limitation, energy consumption by the Small Business during the Eligible Period. BC Hydro may refuse or deny an application which it determines, in its sole discretion, is incomplete, inaccurate or otherwise does not meet the eligibility criteria.

8. The Small Business, for audit purposes, must retain the information, including document proof, that contains in, or supports, the application for at least 12 months, must cooperate with the audit, and must be willing and able to provide, upon request, in BC Hydro’s sole discretion, any document that substantiates the application. Providing false, misleading, or inaccurate information that affects the Small Business’s eligibility for the COVID Relief, failing to provide any information as requested by BC Hydro, or failing to cooperate with an audit may result in the denial or reversal of the COVID Relief.

9. For the purposes of deciding the Small Business’s eligibility for the COVID Relief and evaluating the COVID Relief program, BC Hydro may collect, use, and disclose the personal information of the Small Business’s personnel in accordance with its mandate under the Hydro and Power Authority Act and under the authority of section 26(c) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. BC Hydro may use the personal information of the Small Business’s personnel, as disclosed, for the purposes of administrating and evaluating the COVID Relief and of verifying information in the application with other provincial government agencies and institutions. In the event that the personal information of the Small Business personnel is required, necessary consent is required from the individual. For any questions about how the personal information is handled, please contact BC Hydro’s Customer Service representative at 1 800 BCHYDRO (1 800 224 9376).

10. BC Hydro may, in its sole discretion, at any time, modify any terms or conditions or any of the eligibility requirements for the COVID-19 Relief Fund for Small Business Customers.