BC Recovery Benefit website crashes minutes after launch
Posted December 18, 2020 9:28 am.
Last Updated December 18, 2020 9:29 am.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – The much-anticipated COVID-19 Recovery Benefit has finally launched in B.C., but the first moments of the application didn’t go off without issues.
Just minutes after the website began accepting applications for the one-time, tax-free payment from the provincial government, it crashed.
“The BC Recovery Benefit application page went live at 8:30am (sic) this morning,” the province says in a tweet to one user. “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.”
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
Many people took to social media after they began experiencing issues.
“i (sic) was on the last step of the application and then it froze,” Justin writes on Twitter.
— Mike (@Geekomak) December 18, 2020
Many of the comments that follow appear to be much of the same; people reporting their pages crashing, some saying they can’t get through to any steps in the application process at all.
For some, this was expected.
“Why don’t they figure this stuff out before having people apply. This happened with the CERB,” @Richelle1186 writes on Twitter, opting to wait a bit before submitting an application.
“People have until end of June to apply, so I’m just going to wait until all the craziness dies down and then apply.”
Read more: Applications for COVID-19 BC Recovery Benefit now open
“What’s the over/under on when the application system collapses?” Jason Motz wrote ahead of reports the website was crashing.
Meanwhile, some have advice for people who keep running into problems in the application process.
“If you see a ‘this page isn’t working’ message, just be patient, as the application pages do eventually show up,” Maggie Langfield assures online.
If you see a "this page isn't working" message, just be patient, as the application pages do eventually show up.
— Maggie Langfield (@MusicLady224) December 18, 2020
The BC Recovery Benefit opened on Friday, just before 8:30 a.m.
Through it, eligible families and single parents could get a payment of up to $1,000, while eligible individuals could get up to $500.
People will need to apply to be able to access the money.
The B.C. government has faced tech issues while launching a new service in the past. Most recently, British Columbians crashed the Discover Camping website within minutes of the portal launching this past May.
That issue was also due to a high volume of users trying to submit requests online.
