VICTORIA – Non-essential travel between three regional zones in British Columbia will be restricted to contain the spread of COVID-19. However, the union, which represents RCMP officials, says the ban is not clear enough.
The government is using the borders of three health agencies to ban travel between them. The three regional zones are: the lower mainland and the Fraser Valley; Vancouver Island; and the northern and inner regions.
Attorney General Mike Farnworth, who is also the Secretary of Public Safety, said the new orders are being implemented using the extraordinary powers of the Emergency Program Act.
The ordinance came into force on Friday and expires on May 25th. By then, the province expects to have given around 60 percent of eligible residents at least one dose of vaccine, doubling the current number.
“We know this virus requires humans to be transmitted, and the people who travel outside of communities are increasing the ability of COVID-19 to spread,” Farnworth said at a news conference.
“The surest way to make these measures successful is by volunteering. If a friend or family member plans to break the rules, let them know that this is not the time to travel. Help spread the word. “
Farnworth said the restrictions were necessary to combat new varieties of the COVID-19 virus that are infecting more people and causing record numbers of hospital stays.
British Columbia recorded 1,001 new cases of COVID-19 as well as four other deaths on Friday. There have been a total of 123,758 cases of COVID-19 in the province.
The contract objectives apply to recreational purposes in regional zones. It is okay to travel for essential reasons, such as: For example, going to school or work, moving commercial goods, returning to a primary residence, accessing childcare, using health care, or helping someone obtain health care.
Farnworth said the province is working “very closely” with the RCMP to achieve enforcement that will allow police to fined $ 575.
However, the National Police Federation, which represents 7,000 members of the RCMP in the province, said it remained concerned about the “security and persistent lack of clarity” surrounding the ban.
“Many of our members oppose this proposal because of the continued slow adoption of vaccinations for police in the province at risk of public backlash, legal uncertainty, and exposure and possible infection,” Union President Brian Sauve said in a statement.
Farnworth said officials will not be asked to conduct random checks and instead will conduct regular roadside checks at key traffic points. Measures are also being taken to limit the impact on racially motivated communities.
More details on enforcement are expected to be announced next week.
“I want to make sure it’s done right. I want to make sure we address people’s concerns,” he said.
“And I want us to avoid the situation that happened in Ontario, for example.”
Ontario came under heavy criticism after granting police the right to prevent pedestrians and motorists from asking where they live and why they are away from home, causing the province to decrease those powers days after their announcement.
Harsha Walia, executive director of the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association, said the province has not yet released details on the scope of police powers.
“We continue to have some concerns about the grave constitutional and privacy issues, as well as the possible harmful effects this order can have on indigenous, black and racialized communities,” she said in a statement.
BC is also trying to use signs on freeways and raise signage on the Alberta border to remind travelers of the restrictions.
It is planned to work with BC Ferries to “deter” non-essential travel bookings and to work with those in the tourism and accommodation sectors to encourage them to decline bookings from outside their regional travel zones and cancel existing bookings.
BC Parks will inform the public of the restrictions and will refund bookings if necessary.
The tourism industry, including the BC Hotel Association, issued a joint statement with Tourism Minister Melanie Mark urging residents not to travel outside of their local communities, many of which do not want visitors.
“The many people and businesses involved in the tourism and hospitality industry in BC must obey the rules without exception. Their livelihoods depend on all of us doing our part to ensure that some trips resume safely this summer and that these businesses get on the road can be used for recovery. “
– By Camille Bains in Vancouver
This Canadian press report was first published on April 23, 2021.
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