With roughly 44 per cent of British Columbians now vaccinated with their first COVID-19 dose, the provincial state of emergency was formally extended again on Tuesday, giving health and emergency management officials extraordinary powers under the Emergency Program Act (EPA) to reinforce the province’s pandemic response.
The state of emergency is extended through the end of day on May 25.
“As our vaccine rollout speeds up, we need everyone to register to be notified as soon as it’s their turn,” Premier John Horgan said in a May 11 statement. “Getting vaccinated and continuing to follow public health guidance helps support our healthcare workers and gets us all a step closer to putting the pandemic behind us.”
The emergency extension is based on recommendations from B.C.’s health and emergency management officials. The original declaration was made on March 18, 2020, the day after Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.’s provincial health officer, declared a public health emergency.
The province continues, with backing of police and other enforcement officials, to use measures under the EPA such as issuing tickets for owners, operators and organizers who host an event or gathering contravening Henry’s provincial health orders (PHO).
Between Aug. 21, 2020, and May 7, 2021, 1,974 violation tickets were issued, including: 361 violation tickets ($2,300 each) to owners or organizers contravening the PHO order on gatherings and events; 54 violation tickets ($2,300 each) for contravention of the PHO’s Food and Liquor Serving Premises Order; 1,508 tickets ($230 each) to individuals who failed to comply with PHO orders; 50 tickets ($575 each) to individuals who promoted or attended a noncompliant event; and one ticket ($575) to an individual for failing to comply with travel restrictions.
Since the pandemic began, B.C. police agencies have issued 153 violation tickets to individuals who were in contravention of the Federal Quarantine Act, totalling $288,736.
Trail police, to date, have fined a local pastor $2,300 for allegedly organizing/hosting a noncompliant event. A Rossland couple, being an 82-year old man and 69-year old woman, were fined $3,450 under section 58 of the quarantine act for allegedly crossing into the U.S. and returning to Canada within a day without producing a mandatory negative COVID-19 test to border agents.
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