Skip to main content

“I am a Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, or free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind.” ~~ John G. Diefenbaker

Stage Two of BC’s Restart Plan begins tomorrow as Premier John Horgan states, ‘We are ready to take another step forward in our careful restart’

 


Beginning on Tuesday, June 15, 2021, British Columbia will take the next step in safely bringing people back together, transitioning into Step 2 of BC’s Restart plan, including lifting restrictions on travel within B.C. 

 

“Thanks to our collective efforts and commitment to get vaccinated, we are ready to take another step forward in our careful restart,” said Premier John Horgan. “This next step means seeing more of the people we love, visiting more of our favourite places and safely celebrating the major milestones we’ve missed. Better days are in sight, but we must continue to do our part, get vaccinated, keep our layers of protection strong and work together to put this pandemic behind us.” 

 

The transition into Step 2 of the four-step restart plan aligns with key metrics for moving forward. More than 75% of adults are vaccinated with their first dose, exceeding the target Step 2 minimum threshold of 65%. The other metrics for moving through the stages – COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations – continue to steadily decline.  

 

“I am confident that we are on track to safely and confidently bridge to Step 2, and am amending the relevant provincial health officer’s orders so we can do just that,” said Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.’s provincial health officer. “The data shows us that with strong safety plans in place and all of us continuing to use our layers of protection, we can now increase our much-needed social connections a little bit more. Whether it is travelling to visit family in B.C., having a small wedding or watching your child’s soccer game, these are the things we have all missed.”

 

Public health safety protocols, such as mask wearing in all indoor public spaces and physical distancing, will remain in place during Step 2. As well, personal indoor gatherings will be limited to five visitors, or one other household.  

 

Moving from Step 1 to Step 2 includes:  

  • B.C. recreational travel – non-essential travel ban lifted. Out-of-province non-essential travel advisory continues;  
  • maximum of 50 people for outdoor personal gatherings; 
  • maximum of 50 people for indoor seated organized gatherings (e.g., movie theatres, live theatre, banquet halls) with safety plans;
  • indoor faith gatherings – a maximum of 50 people, or 10% of a place of worship’s total capacity, whichever number is greater – with safety plans;
  • maximum of 50 spectators for outdoor sports;
  • liquor service at restaurants, bars and pubs extended until midnight; and
  • indoor sports games (no spectators) and high-intensity fitness with safety plans. 

 

All other capacity limits and guidelines listed in Step 1 stay in place unless noted in the list above.

 

The earliest target start date for Step 3 is July 1, and Sept. 7 for Step 4. 

 


British Columbians travelling within B.C. are asked to plan ahead and be respectful while visiting communities, especially smaller and rural towns, as well as Indigenous communities – including respecting local travel advisories. Travel manners and guidelines to follow during summer trips and vacations include:

  • getting vaccinated;
  • pre-trip planning and research before arriving at destination;
  • respecting any local travel advisories to isolated and remote communities and Indigenous communities;
  • following masks guideline;
  • respecting personal space and practising good hygiene, including frequent handwashing; and
  • no travelling for anyone who is sick. If symptoms develop while travelling, self-isolate immediately and contact 811 for guidance and testing.

 

Since the launch of the restart plan on May 25, government has been working with sector associations and WorkSafeBC to help prepare for the transition into Step 3 when public health orders will be lifted and new guidelines will come into effect. Businesses can expect to see updated guidance available through WorkSafeBC's website prior to July 1. Businesses will then adapt their safety plans to reflect this updated guidance.

 

More than 200 meetings and discussions have taken place since the launch of BC’s Restart plan as part of government’s ongoing engagement. The majority have been with industry organizations that together represent thousands of employers and tens of thousands of employees.

 

The four-step restart plan was designed based on data and guidance from the BC Centre for Disease Control and Henry. Progressing to each step of the plan will be measured by the number of people vaccinated, COVID-19 case counts and hospitalizations and deaths and other key public health metrics. 

 

The Province has formally extended the provincial state of emergency through the end of the day on June 22, 2021, allowing health and emergency management officials to continue to use extraordinary powers under the Emergency Program Act to support the Province's COVID-19 pandemic response. The original declaration was made on March 18, 2020, the day after Henry declared a public health emergency, and can be extended for periods of up to 14 days at a time.

 

 

Learn More: 

To view the updated B.C. restart plan four-step graphic, visit: http://news.gov.bc.ca/files/Step_2_graphic_changes.pdf

 

Since Step 1, additional guidelines have been released for overnight camps and faith-based gatherings and are available here:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/about-bc-s-health-care-system/office-of-the-provincial-health-officer/current-health-topics/covid-19-novel-coronavirus

 

To view the June 10, 2021, modelling presentation on BC’s Restart, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/6-10_PHO_presentation.pdf

 

To learn more about BC’s Restart – a four-step plan to bring B.C. back together, visit: https://www.gov.bc.ca/restartbc 

 

To learn about B.C.’s current travel restrictions, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/covidtravel 

 

To learn about the current provincial health officer’s restrictions, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/COVIDrestrictions 

 

To get registered to get a first or second dose of COVID-19 vaccine, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/getvaccinated.html 

 

For technical immunization information, visit the BC Centre for Disease Control’s website:
www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19/covid-19-vaccine 

 

For more information on what to expect when getting vaccinated for COVID-19, visit:
www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19/covid-19-vaccine/getting-a-vaccine 

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

BC cannot regulate, redesign, and reinterpret its way to a stable forestry sector. Communities need clear rules, predictable timelines, and accountability for results.

Photo credit:  Atli Resources LP   BC’s Forestry Crisis Continues with Closure of Beaver Cove Chip Facility   As industry leaders, Indigenous partners, and contractors gather this week at the BC Natural Resources Forum in Prince George, the gap between government rhetoric and reality could not be clearer. Just hours after the Eby government once again touted reconciliation, certainty, and economic opportunity under DRIPA, Atli Chip Ltd, a company wholly owned by the ’Na̱mg̱is First Nation, announced it is managing the orderly closure of its Beaver Cove chip facility. The closure comes despite public tax dollars, repeated government announcements, and assurances that new policy frameworks would stabilize forestry employment and create long-term opportunity in rural and coastal British Columbia. “British Columbians are being told one story, while communities are living another,” said Ward Stamer, Critic for Forests. “This closure makes it clear that announcement...
Post a Comment
Read more

Stamer: Hope for Forestry Completely Shattered After Another Provincial Review Driven by DRIPA

IMAGE CREDIT:  Provincial Forestry Advisory Council Conservative Critic for Forests Ward Stamer says the final report from the Provincial Forestry Advisory Council confirms the worst fears of forestry workers and communities; instead of addressing the real issues driving mill closures and job losses, the NDP has produced a report that ignores industry realities and doubles down on governance restructuring. Despite years of warnings from forestry workers, contractors, and industry organizations about permitting delays, regulatory costs, fibre access, and the failure of BC Timber Sales, the PFAC report offers no urgency, no timelines, and no concrete action to stop the ongoing decline of the sector. “ This report completely shatters any remaining hope that the government is serious about saving forestry ,” said Stamer.  “ We didn’t need another study to tell us what industry has been saying for years. While mills close and workers lose their livelihoods, the NDP is focused on re...
Post a Comment
Read more

FORSETH – My question is, ‘How do we decide who is blue enough to be called a Conservative?’

How do we decide who’s blue enough to be a Conservative? AS OF TODAY (Friday January 30 th ), there are now eight individuals who have put their names forward to lead the Conservative Party of British Columbia. Having been involved with BC’s Conservatives since 2010, and having seen MANY ups and downs, having 8 people say “I want to lead the party” is to me, an incredible turn-around from the past. Sadly, however, it seems that our party cannot seem to shake what I, and others, call a purity test of ‘what is a Conservative’. And that seems to have already come to the forefront of the campaign by a couple of candidates. Let me just say as a Conservative Party of BC member, and as someone active in the party, that frustrates me to no end. Conservatives, more than any other political philosophy or belief, at least to me, seems to have the widest and broadest spectrum of ideals.   For the most part, they are anchored by these central thoughts --- smaller and less intru...
1 comment
Read more

Labels

Show more