VANCOUVER -- The City of Vancouver has announced it is temporarily laying off 1,500 staff members because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The city says it is implementing "temporary workforce reductions" because of the current public health emergency, with workers at community centres, theatres, and libraries most severely impacted.
"We are providing pay protection and a continuation of benefits to our staff during this time," the city said in a statement. "The agreement provides for pay continuity of up to 42 days and extended health benefits for three months for impacted employees. We have also set up a Staff Redeployment Office to centralize and facilitate redeployment opportunities."
The city says this is a temporary situation caused by the pandemic. When facilities reopen, employees can expect to return to their original jobs, according to the city.​
In Surrey, 140 full-time and 1,900 part-time city staff members have been temporarily laid off.
The city says part-time staff will get 28 days of pay, and full-timers will get 42 days.
The City of Delta also announced layoffs for hundreds of its employees.
