Isolation allowance

Working for the BC Public Service and living in an isolated area of the province can be both rewarding and challenging. We’d like to help with the increased travel and living expenses that come with living far from a major centre.

On this page

• Calculating the allowance
• Vacation transportation subsidy
• Vacation adjustment for remote locations
• Transportation of resigned personnel 

Calculating the allowance

An allowance of $7.44 per point, per month will be paid based on the isolated location point rating of the community in which you work.

Remember, the points are based on your permanent job headquarters, not your place of residence.

Learn whether your community qualifies and, if so, how many points it rates: 

• Isolated Location Point Ratings (PDF, 169KB).

Your biweekly and monthly allowance according to your community's point rating:

• Isolation Allowance (PDF, 91KB) 

For more information, review Schedule 04 – Isolation Provisions (196KB) of Terms and Conditions of Employment for Excluded Employees and Appointees.

Vacation transportation subsidy

We know that it takes extra time and money to go on vacation if you work in a severely isolated location. That’s why we’ve created a special subsidy to assist you with transportation expenses for you and your family.

If your access to major centres is possible only by water or extended travel over roads which are unpaved, we’ll subsidize your journey in the amount of $571.75 a year.

Remember, you must travel outside the area where the restricted travel conditions exist.

The application must be signed by the employee and indicate the period of vacation and the major center to which the employee traveled. The Employer may require documentation to support the claim.

Note: pro-rated compensation for part-time employees is based on the part-time percentage of full-time employment at the commencement of the vacation period.

Once approved by your supervisor, submit an AskMyHR service request and include the approval from the Expense Authority. To have the vacation transportation subsidy processed, select the categories Myself (or) My Team or Organization > Expenses, Allowances & Reimbursements > Allowances & Reimbursements.

Vacation adjustment for remote locations

We’ll give you an extra day off a year in vacation time to help you get where you’re going! Learn more about annual vacation entitlements.

Transportation of resigned personnel 

If you resign due to incompatibility with work or camp conditions or for compassionate reasons, we will arrange for transportation to the nearest commercial carrier as soon as possible.