Afternoon News Update for May 1, 2020

📷 Minister of Finance Carole James / Photo via Province of British Columbia (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

NANAIMO—Thousands of British Columbians have started applying for a provincial subsidy which became available today. The Minister of Finance says more than 16,000 people applied for the BC Emergency Benefit in the first 45 minutes of opening the online portal. Workers who qualify for the federal government's Canada Emergency Response Benefit, or CERB, are also eligible for a one time, tax-free provincial payment of $1000. However, Carole James acknowledges there are gaps in the array of benefits that governments are providing since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Low-income seniors who receive the SAFER rent supplement, do not qualify for the $300 to $500 dollar provincial rent subsidy. British Columbians who receive federal disability payments do not qualify for the extra $300 dollar a month payment for those on the provincial disability system. And, there are questions about whether workers who have to self isolate for two weeks qualify for benefits for workers who are laid off. James says she recognizes some British Columbians may be falling through the cracks, but she is offering no immediate solutions.

The city of Nanaimo will provide 35 emergency shelter beds for the homeless in its Community Services Building on Prideaux St. But the new Emergency Response Center will not be available until June the 1st. That's because some tenants currently using the building will be forced to leave to make shelter space available. The 7-10 Club, that provides free meals and Options for Sexual Health will remain on site. The Island Crisis Care Society will provide 24/7 management of the space. However, it is unclear whether those infected with COVID-19 will be housed there. So far, BC Housing has been unable to secure any hotel rooms in Nanaimo for homeless people who may become infected with the virus and need to quarantine. A deal for 40 such hotel rooms fell through earlier this week, after push-back from the surrounding community. However, there are 13 rooms for women leaving violence during the pandemic.

The Canadian military says its rescue mission for a crew whose helicopter crashed off the coast of Greece has changed to a recovery mission. A Canadian Armed Forces pilot from Nanaimo is among the missing. Captain Kevin Hagan was one of six crew members on-board the Cyclone helicopter that crashed on Wednesday evening. It was taking part in NATO training exercises in the Ionian Sea. The body of another crew member, Sub-Lieutenant Abbigail Cowbrough of Toronto, has been recovered. A news release from National Defense says additional human remains have been found, but not yet identified.

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Lisa Cordasco

Senior Reporter and News Director — Lisa is responsible for creating the station's first morning news current affairs show on CHLY. She is also deeply involved in training and mentoring student and citizen journalists who volunteer their time at the station. Before joining CHLY, Lisa spent 35 years in various roles at CBC Radio, from host to reporter. Her passion for journalism and radio has led her to Nanaimo, where she intends to provide CHLY listeners with news they can use, in an alternative radio environment. Her other not-so-secret passion is costuming for any occasion.

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