The City of Campbell River is working to support the health of those in the community.
It wants to ensure essential goods and services remain available.
With yesterday’s announcement that the Province of British Columbia will use “extraordinary powers” in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the city is preparing to help.
Under the Emergency Program Act, municipal bylaw officers will enforce public health orders for business closures and gatherings, in line with offences under the Public Health Act.
“The City will continue to work with and assist the provincial government,” says city manager Deborah Sargent. “We are planning to be as responsive as possible with the resources we have available to help share information and enforce public health orders. We are currently evaluating all options to support the province and ensure that people follow those orders.”
The city’s bylaw officers will help enforce public health orders by:
- Prohibiting gatherings larger than 50 people
- Monitoring facilities and areas closed to the public by a public health order
- Providing warnings, information and advice to businesses and members of the public about public health orders, including warnings to businesses and members of the public who may be acting in contravention of a public health order
- Enforcing closure of establishments serving liquor that do not offer meal service (such as nightclubs) as well as personal service establishments, such as nail salons, tattoo parlours, barbershops, beauty parlours, health spas and massage parlours
- Enforcing safe operating conditions at retail liquor establishments and where meals and drinks are prepared and served
- Providing health officers with information in respect of potential contraventions of a public health order
The provincial government says that any business or service that has not been told to and is not identified on the essential service list may stay open.
It must alter its services and workplace to the orders and recommendations of the Provincial Health Officer.
Public health orders for all citizens include:
- People returning from travelling outside Canada must be quarantined for 14 days.
- People who are not required to be in quarantine are to go out only for essential goods and services – and to do that safely by maintaining the required social distance.
For full versions of the orders, visit the province’s website.
