FINANCE Minister Carole James said on Friday that the B.C. government welcomes the federal government’s decision to extend the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance program through to the end of August.

She said: “Our government has been advocating for additional support for business owners and tenants affected by the pandemic, and this will give them additional time to recover and reopen.

“The Province’s emergency order protecting eligible businesses from being evicted remains in place for the duration of the federal rent assistance program. The ban will continue to protect small businesses in British Columbia that would be eligible for rent relief but whose landlords have not applied, and it will encourage landlords to apply for the joint federal-provincial relief program.”

“I encourage both commercial landlords and tenants to work collaboratively and apply for this program, so we can ensure our B.C. businesses are in a better position financially as we transition into recovery.”