Excerpts From Today's News Conference on Step 2 of BC's Restart Plan
Premier Horgan: We are ready now to put COVID-19 behind us. Dr. Henry's modelling shows that we are on the right path, case counts are declining, hospitalizations are stabilizing and vaccines are climbing at a positive rate. What we need to do now is take the next careful steps forward.
Tomorrow, we will begin Step 2 of our restart plan. This means we're going to be seeing more people that we care about, visiting more places that we want to see, and we will be safely celebrating the major milestones that we've missed over the past 15 months.
Step 2 ends the current travel restrictions in British Columbia. However, we are advising against non-essential travel from out of province. We want that to remain in place as we watch what other provinces across the country do as they start their restart plans as well. Step 2 means being able to host a birthday party with up to 50 people in your backyard, or in a public outdoor space. It means it will be safe to go to a movie with some friends or, more importantly, we will be able to do what we haven't been able to do for the past year and that is watch our local sports teams in action, and that I am very much looking forward to.
Several fundamental layers of protection will remain in place through Step 2. You still are going to have to wear a mask in indoor public spaces and current safety measures and protocols for businesses will remain in place until we move to phase 3. Personal gatherings inside your homes should still remain small for now, and we need to make sure we stick to one household, or five people.
British Columbians are anxious to put COVID behind us, but there are still people that are anxious about reopening. They are concerned about the impact of too fast a return to normal and how that might affect their family, their business or their community. We believe we are on the right track. We've have been following the data, we've been following the science from the beginning -- that is why British Columbia has had such great success. But as we go forward we need to remember that you need to get vaccinated. We need to remember that you have to follow public health orders until it is safe to put them behind us. And, most importantly, when we reduce our social interactions, we reduce case counts, we reduce the transmissibility of COVID-19.
Minister Mark: Our tourism, arts and amateur sports sectors were among the hardest hit by the pandemic. The people working in these industries have been profoundly impacted by more than a year of ongoing restrictions and closures. Despite the many hardships, business owners, workers and volunteers have been unwavering in their commitment to protect each other and our communities. Without question, their sacrifices made a difference and helped us get to where we are today.
As we approach June 21st, which is National Indigenous Day and the first day of summer, I encourage all British Columbians to get out and explore the best of BC. Whether your summer plans include heading out on a vacation, taking in an outdoor performance, or cheering on your kids at their tournaments, there is so much to see and do in our province.
Destination BC has just launched their 'Be Open to More' summer marketing campaign, which has tremendous suggestions on where and how to explore everything BC has to offer. Check out Hello BC to plan your trip today, and their 'Know Before You Go' guide, which helps visitors ensure the communities they visit are ready to welcome them.
Many staff at tourism businesses have taken recently the BSAFE program. This made-in-BC safety certificate demonstrates that workers in tourism and hospitality businesses have received training in health and safety best practices, and are prioritizing the health of their customers and community. BSAFE shows visitors that BC is a safe place to travel and encourages people to experience new adventures and connect with their province in a different way the summer.
I want to express my appreciation to everyone working so hard in the people industries. People, we know that you have made the sacrifices and efforts, and it has made a difference. I want to assure business owners and workers that our province continues to be a destination of choice.
Minister Kahlon: Many tourism operators, restaurant owners, people in the hospitality sector said the restart plan was welcome news. People were able to get together with friends and family. They were able to travel within their region or visit a local park and have a barbecue.
The launch of the restart plan signals that we can soon do more of the things that we love to do with the people we care about. This is great news for BC businesses, but we know that some businesses are still struggling, and we will continue to support them through this economic recovery. We have made half a billion dollars available in direct relief for small businesses, and we extended the deadline for the small- and medium-sized business recovery grant application to July 2nd. We want to ensure that businesses are heard and supported as we move into the next steps of the restart plan.
Reporter: Dr Henry, the Olympic basketball qualifying tournament in Victoria starts in late Step 2, which has no indoor spectators, and runs through the target date to move into Step 3, which is limited indoor spectators. Does that mean no spectators for the two late June game dates, and can you confirm if it would be limited spectators for the three July games?
Dr. Henry: I can't confirm either of those at the moment. We are working with the organizers and our safe restart team that has been dealing with sports and Via Sport is looking at the proposal that they have, and we will be making some decisions with them on that in the near future.
Reporter: I'm wondering, in general terms, about the cruise ship situation. I know it's a federal decision about the ports, but you will be consulted on that. Do you have any perspective on whether there will be any cruise ships allowed to dock in Canada this calendar year?
Dr. Henry: I can say that I'm part of a group that has been working with Transport Canada and with our counterparts in the US about the potential about when cruise ships can safely come back into BC, particularly. And we are still working on many of these questions. Part of this is, of course, the guidance coming out of the US CDC around what it would take to get cruise ships restarted, and they have very strict guidance, which includes things like a very high rate of vaccination in both staff and visitors on cruise ships. It has to be up to 95%, and that of course gives a lot of protection to those environments.
However, we do know that shared accommodations and particularly elderly people, which we tend to see older people who take cruises, it can be a risky environment. We've seen that in long-term care homes, for example. We're watching US guidelines, watching how they are being interpreted and what's happening with the cruise industry in the US very carefully, and particularly with our counterparts in Washington State, which is obviously the most relevant for us here in BC.
Premier Horgan: I would just add that a great deal of work is going on at the staff level, with intergovernmental relations in my office. Minister Fleming, Minister Mark, are meeting with the industry to ensure that they have a complete understanding of what is required to restart the sector. There are a host of issues at play here, of course. We're going to be guided by the science. The federal government will also be guided by science. Having Dr. Henry working with PHOs across the country to inform Dr. Tam and the advice that she gives to the federal government is critical to that, as Dr. Henry suggested.
On Thursday, the Prime Minister has asked the premiers to come together to talk about reopening the borders...land, sea and air. And of course, we are very interested in those discussions. We have been working on it quietly because there is anxiety in the community. I know that. I feel that. We want to make sure we're on the right track.
Cruise ships are a component of reopening the borders. A significant one, to be sure. And as I said last week, after talking to Senator Murkowski, the law she brought forward and was passed will sunset when the borders open. The new initiative by another senator from a landlocked state is another issue in US politics. But what we can do here in BC and in Canada is prepare for reopening the industry. I know people want to come to BC. They want to cruise up the coast of our great province, and we are excited about that as well. But only when it's safe to do so.
Reporter: Premier Horgan, you mentioned at the beginning that there's still a reluctance from some to come to a reopening. How does the province ensure that there's not tension between those that are ready to get moving onto the next step back and those who don't want to move on?
Premier Horgan: Broadly speaking, how we deal with anxiety in the community, is something I think most of us have been listening to for quite a number of months. We need to be kind, we need to be calm, and we need to ensure that we keep ourselves and those around us safe. Those three directives have served us all very well. That will help us as we move through step two into step three later in the summer.
The vast majority of British Columbians are anxious to put COVID-19 behind us, but we've learned a lot over the past 16 months, and one thing that stands out front and centre is, we cannot predict what this virus will do. We can behave in a way that will reduce transmission and keep people safe. That is following the orders through step two and respecting that not everyone is at the same pace. Not everybody wants to get back to a filled arena to watch the Canucks or to go to a massive concert. But a lot of people do.
And I think people will vote with their feet, quite frankly. They're going to go to events they are comfortable at and they're not going to go to events that they are not. Those are personal choices. Government can't dictate those, but we can follow the sage advice of our PHO and be kind to people and respectful, and be calm when others may not be. Most importantly, make sure we keep each other safe. I will ask Dr Henry to talk about any other issues.
Dr. Henry: Yes, we are doing this, as we talked about, incrementally, which means that we are still relying on our COVID safety plans. The ones that we've had in place and have modified over time. Things like high-intensity fitness, they still have to have reduced numbers, COVID safety plans in place. Same with events, the organized events. The numbers are 50, but that means we go back to having that plan, where you make sure you know who's there, that you have the right things in place. But we can open up a little bit more. We can get back to where we were when we had more people involved. But all of the same safety plans that are in place in restaurants, remain in place for this phase.
Reporter: I'm just wondering also with regards to indoor gatherings, it seems the focus is on really having them be seated indoor gatherings, but when you have things like banquet halls or restaurants that have up to 50 people, how do you ensure that people remain seated? Is it, again, on the establishment to make sure that happens and is there going to be enforcement over the next couple of weeks to make sure that people abide by those rules? And they're not getting up and dancing or gathering, I guess?
Dr. Henry: Music is starting, but dancing, we're going to wait just a little bit longer for the dancing and singing. But, yes, it is those COVID safety plans. So up to 50 people, but with the same restrictions that we've had a place before. We were able to do this quite successfully last summer so I know businesses know how to do this and they'll be moving at their own pace.
Keeping small groups of people, no more than six per table, all of those things are still in place now, and, yes, we will be inspecting, and we have been doing that with environmental health officers and WorkSafeBC to make sure it is safe not just for people who are there for the event, but for the workers as well. Those are important considerations.
Reporter: As we see this news conference broadcast across the country, the message many are seeing is that BC's open for travel despite your discouragement still. Is there worry about interprovincial travel could spark more transmission of more contagious variants like the Delta? You said we will likely see an increase in cases as we open up more by nature, but how much of that do you think will be attributed to visitors from provinces?
Dr. Henry: I think we've always managed our own pandemic here in BC and it has played out differently in different provinces across the country. So yes, right now we want to focus on BC for people in BC and be able to travel within our province, see the people that we haven't seen, go camping, do those things that we've been missing, and I know in the tourism sector, we've talked -- Minister Mark and I have had a number of conversations and many people are not accepting bookings from outside of province until we move into the next step so that we can move within BC first.
Yes, it is likely. People have always come back and forth here and that is one of the factors that we've considered in terms of the minimum level of protection through immunization and the amount of transmission that we're seeing in our communities. So, yes, very important for us in public health to monitor people coming back and forth, for people to get tested rapidly, for us to be able to know exactly what strains are circulating as people are moving more in the province and we will continue to do that through our public health teams across the province.
Premier Horgan: Our advice to other Canadians is we are going to welcome you down the road, but not today. If you don't have business in British Columbia it is our preference that you stay where you are. We will invite you back at the appropriate time when all British Columbians are prepared to welcome you.
We have anxiety. We've talked about that. People know it. They fear it. You have friends and family members and loved ones who are talking to you from across the country about how happy they are with the success we've had in BC. They don't want to put that at risk anymore than we do. So, my advice to non-British Columbians, if you don't have business here that is essential to you wellbeing, then please stay where you are until we get to Step 3 and we can have a fair discussion about that.
I will be meeting with my colleagues and the Prime Minister on Thursday to talk about borders, international borders to be sure, but we always discuss the issues in our various provinces. I'll be making the same request that I've been making for months to my colleagues -- please appeal to your citizens to stay where they are until we all come out of this stronger than when we went into it. That would be my advice and that would be my hope.
