Thanks to high vaccination rates around the province, the Comox Valley Emergency Operations Centre is closing after 473 days of operation supporting the pandemic response. (Ronan O’Doherty/Black Press Media)

Valley’s Emergency Operations Centre closing for COVID-19 response

"…We are in a much better place now than we were last year."

  • Jul. 5, 2021 12:00 a.m.

Following the province’s move to Step 3 of B.C.’s Restart Plan and the end of the provincial state of emergency, Comox Valley local governments have determined the regional Emergency Operations Centre supporting the response to COVID-19 can now be closed on Tuesday, July 5 at 4:30 p.m.

The Comox Valley’s regional Emergency Operations Centre has been active for 473 days since March 17, 2020.

The Emergency Operations Centre was in place to support the lead agencies, Ministry of Health and Island Health, if requested at the federal and provincial levels. The Emergency Operations team with representatives from the CVRD, City of Courtenay, K’ómoks First Nation, Town of Comox, Village of Cumberland and other external agencies and organizations have been working together to collaborate on response measures and best practices for the region.

RELATED: Comox Valley governments set up level two emergency centre

“Thanks to the high vaccination rates and the collective efforts of our community and people around B.C., we are in a much better place now than we were last year,” says CVRD board chair and EOC spokesperson Jesse Ketler.

“Our Emergency Operations Centre team consulted with Island Health on the closure of the Comox Valley’s EOC, and at this time they have advised us that our formal support is no longer required. On behalf of everyone in the Comox Valley Regional EOC, I want to thank our community for all of the sacrifices and hard work over the past year to keep one another safe that have helped us get to this point. Please keep up the great work as we continue through Step 3 and encourage others to receive both doses of the vaccine in order to help us reach Step 4.”

The Government of B.C. will be providing further details regarding Step 4, which at the earliest will start Sept. 7.

For more information on the Government of BC Restart plans and guidelines visit gov.bc.ca/restartbc.


photos@comoxvalleyrecord.comLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter

Comox Valley Record