Tuesday April 21, 2020 ~ LANGFORD
by Mary Brooke ~ West Shore Voice News
In a rare Sunday media teleconference, BC Public Safety Minister and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth on April 19 announced that bylaw officers (and a wide range of other government employees in positions of frontline enforcement) now have broader powers to more assertively enforce the orders of the Public Health Officer (regarding a wide range of things including physical distancing) and also that persons or businesses who are hoarding or reselling at a significant markup would be issued significant fines.
Meanwhile,the City of Langford must have decided within hours to put a hold on a set of COVID-19 related business bylaws that they were ready to approve at their April 20 special council meeting.
A collection of three bylaws (two of which — amendments #1907 & #1908) were approved at the City’s April 6 council meeting, and a third that would have seen approval at the cancelled April 20 special council meeting) would have seen fines against local Langford businesses for many types of offences (each at $500).
List of offences: Failure to mark entry lineups or checkout lineups, failure to securely install a barrier, failure to maintain cashier separation, failure to directionally mark aisles, failure to post maximum occupancy signs, use of receptacles (such as reusable shopping bags) provided by customers, unauthorized sale of bulk food items, exceed maximum number of persons on premises, failure to maintain 2-metre physical separations in entry lineups and within the premises, and failure to maintain directional walking measures.
The amendment (#1909) to Bylaw 34 (from 1993) set for final approval on April 20 would have also seen a business fined $500 for operating if its licence had been suspended or revoked.
Regarding the bylaw suspension, today April 21, 2020 the City of Langford released this statement:
“Thank you to those businesses who reached out to express their views and feedback on the proposed business regulation bylaw.”
“Langford’s primary goal during this difficult time is to make sure that residents, customers and employees remain safe and protected while at work or shopping at one of our local businesses. We recognize that many businesses have taken proactive, critical measures in this regard, including taking advantage of the masks, shields, plexiglass and vinyl markers being made available via the City, and we are very thankful for this.”
“We also recognize that each business has unique challenges in its operations, and with this in mind, the City is putting the business regulation bylaw on hold, but will continue to strongly encourage all businesses to adopt the recommended measures.”
“Going forward, the City will (as issued April 21, 2020 by Donna Petrie, Manager of Business Development and Events):
- Partner with Royal Roads University, Dale Gann, Chair of the City of Langford Economic Development Committee and myself to research and establish strategies for economic recovery;
- Continue to operate four COVID outreach vans by visiting businesses to provide information, supplies and answer questions;
- Continue to provide weekly email updates to Langford businesses including the Business Resource Guide for Langford businesses;
- Continue to share information to residents about local business offerings and adapted services and hours of operation via social media and the City’s website.