Wednesday June 10, 2020 ~ VICTORIA, BC
by Mary Brooke, editor ~ West Shore Voice News
The B.C. government has formally extended the provincial state of emergency, allowing Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, to continue to use extraordinary powers under the Emergency Program Act to support the Province’s COVID-19 pandemic response.
“As we continue to slowly and carefully reopen our economy, British Columbians are starting to see aspects of normal life return. But it’s important to remember that we’re not out of the woods yet,” said Premier John Horgan. “There are a lot of people, businesses and communities that continue to need a hand right now, and the extension of this state of emergency helps us do that.”
The state of emergency is extended through the end of the day on June 23, 2020, allowing government to continue to take the necessary steps to keep British Columbians safe.
Addressing a variety of needs:
“Under the provincial state of emergency, our government continues to address the variety of needs throughout British Columbia in response to COVID-19,” Farnworth said.
“We’ve been working with communities throughout this crisis, and the provincial state of emergency helps ensure our efforts continue in a mindful and coordinated way.”
Actions taken in the past two weeks:
Actions taken in the previous two weeks to support British Columbians include:
* strengthening the federal commercial rent program by issuing a new order that protects B.C. businesses that are eligible for rent support from commercial evictions due to unpaid rent payments through to the end of June 2020;
* more than 157,000 students returning to school on the first day of an optional return to in-class instruction for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year;
* launching a new online resource to showcase current job vacancies in agriculture, while providing farmers, seafood businesses and food processors with a one-stop shop to support their hiring and planning needs;
* expanding the air quality alert subscription service beyond email notifications to allow people to receive real-time air quality advisories and smoky skies bulletins by text;
* investing $7.5 million through Creative BC for Amplify BC, a program to help B.C.’s music industry to create and operate during the pandemic;
* providing an additional $250,000 to support industry-led Buy BC activities focused on e-commerce, for a total of $550,000 under government’s Buy BC Partnership Program;
* providing temporary relief to hospitality licensees who have had to suspend their operations as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, as licensees are allowed to sell their existing liquor stock to other licensees who are still operating and private liquor stores;
* beginning to assess courthouses and courtrooms throughout the province to ensure they meet the health and safety requirements established by the provincial health officer and WorkSafeBC; and
* providing an additional $250,000, for a total of $550,000 to support B.C. farmers and processors to move online.
Extension stretches State of Emergency to 14 weeks:
The extension of the provincial state of emergency is based on recommendations from B.C.’s health and emergency management officials. Farnworth made the original declaration on March 18, 2020, after Dr. Bonnie Henry, provincial health officer, declared a public health emergency the previous day.
States of Emergency can be done two weeks at a time.
Prior to the COVID-19 health emergency, the longest period the province had been under a state of emergency was the 2017 wildfire season when in addition to the fires themselves mostly in the BC interior (with damage and danger to persons and properties) there were air quality concerns in the Lower Mainland and also on Vancouver Island .
Quick Facts:
* Declarations of provincial states of emergency may be issued by the minister responsible under the Emergency Program Act.
* The provincial government can extend the period of a declaration made by the minister responsible for further periods of up to 14 days at a time.
* During the 2017 wildfire season, the province was in a provincial state of emergency for 10 weeks from July 7 to Sept. 15.
Learn More:
For information on BC’s Restart Plan, visit: www.gov.bc.ca/RestartBC
For information on non-medical issues like travel recommendations and how to manage social isolation, visit: www.gov.bc.ca/COVID-19
For information on federal and provincial government supports available to individuals, families, businesses and organizations, visit: www.gov.bc.ca/covidgovernmentbenefits
For recommendations on protecting yourself and your community, including for employers, businesses and schools, visit: http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/coronavirus-(novel)
For more information and latest medical updates on COVID-19, follow the BCCDC on Twitter @CDCofBC or visit its website: http://www.bccdc.ca/
The B.C. Farm, Fish and Food Job Connector site can be found at: www.bcagjobs.gov.bc.ca
For more information on the air quality subscription service and to subscribe to receive advisories, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/airquality-subscriptionservice