B.C. Examining Whether It Can Legally Limit Non-Essential Travel To Province

VICTORIA — The B.C. authorities is searching for authorized recommendation on whether or not it could restrict non-essential journey to the province in the course of the pandemic, the premier says.

Premier John Horgan instructed a information convention Thursday there may be concern about folks coming from different provinces or territories and spreading COVID-19. 

Horgan stated he and different premiers have made the case for Canadians to remain house in the course of the pandemic, however folks proceed to journey. The situation has been mentioned for months and it’s time to find out if the federal government can act, he added.

“I want to put this either to rest, so British Columbians understand we cannot do that and we’re not going to do that, or there is a way to do it and we’re going to work with other provinces to achieve it.”

Public well being orders issued by provincial well being officer Dr. Bonnie Henry, that are in impact till Feb. 5, inform B.C. residents to not journey for holidays, recreation or social visits.

Atlantic bubble

The Atlantic provinces shaped a bubble that required folks from exterior the area to get approval earlier than travelling there, however Horgan stated an identical plan won’t work for B.C.

“There’s only a few ways in or out and it’s easier to manage than it would be here in B.C.,” he stated.

Henry stated throughout a COVID-19 briefing Thursday that she didn’t imagine she had the authority to restrict out-of-province journey nor was she contemplating including such orders.

“It’s hard to see how that is feasible in British Columbia for many reasons,” she stated. “Our borders are very different, we have many ways that people can cross — particularly from Alberta — and we know that there are many services and workplaces that people live in one or the other province and move back and forth.”

Residents want to think about personal actions

Health Minister Adrian Dix stated it’s essential to do not forget that as B.C. examines the legality of limiting journey, residents want to consider their very own actions.

“This applies to British Columbians travelling there. We have an obligation as well not to engage in non-essential travel to other provinces,” he stated.

The B.C. Centre for Disease Control lists 39 COVID-19 public exposures on flights coming into B.C. from different provinces between Dec. 31 and Jan. 8.

Big White Ski Resort, which has reported greater than 130 COVID-19 instances amongst employees members and locals, cancelled all non-local bookings till Feb. 5 on account of Henry’s orders.

Michael Ballingall, Big White Resort’s senior vice-president, stated in an announcement that the corporate was encouraging guests from round Canada to comply with the provincial well being pointers.

“Following the rules is not about the bottom line, it’s about bending the curve and staying open for our season passholders and local skiers and snowboarders,” he stated.

Limiting interprovincial journey and the recommendation acquired by authorized specialists shall be mentioned in the course of the NDP authorities’s digital cupboard retreat over the following two days.

The want to hunt authorized clarification additionally comes after politicians and public figures throughout Canada travelled exterior the nation round Christmas.

No B.C. provincial politicians travelled in the course of the vacation season, Horgan stated, however he understands the difficulty of worldwide journey is irritating to British Columbians.

“I think that we’ve tried our best to appeal to people’s common sense,” Horgan stated about discouraging journey. “Those are individual choices at the end of the day, there’s no prohibition in terms of a legal requirement.”

The B.C. authorities was one of many first within the nation to push for stricter worldwide border measures, he added.

This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed Jan. 14, 2021.

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