Minister Farnworth's Statement & Answers
to the New Travel Order at Today's News Conference
"Off the top, I want to thank the vast majority of British Columbians who are following provincial health orders, such as masking up, avoiding large gatherings, and doing an extraordinary job in fighting COVID-19 during this recent spike in cases.
We've all made great sacrifices to protect our collective health and to keep our health care system functioning safely. While I'm disappointed additional measures are necessary, I am taking further action to carry us through the current spike in COVID-19 cases until more of the population can be vaccinated in the coming weeks.
As we've heard from Minister Dix and Dr Henry, COVID-19 variants have started to take hold in our communities. These variants are spread much more easily, and each case has a higher chance of infecting more people. These cases have led to record hospitalizations and a growing strain on our healthcare system. Things may get worse before they get better. We need to work together to get through the coming weeks.
At this point we have vaccinated more than 30% of our eligible population, and in a month's time that number is projected to double. But for now, though, we need to hunker down and stay local. If we act now, do the right thing, we can still have a summer that is more like those that we are all used to.
While the province and the provincial health officer have long asked British Columbians to stay within their own communities, the time has come to formally restrict non-essential travel. That is why, based on the advice of the provincial health officer, I am restricting non-essential travel into, or out of, all health authority regions in British Columbia, effective immediately. (technically “regional zones”, see above)
This order will remain in place until after the May long weekend, specifically May 25th. This is a legal order under the Emergency Program Act and there will be consequences for not following it. But, beyond that, these measures most importantly can save lives and it is in the best interest of all British Columbians to follow them.
For the purposes of this order, the Northern and Interior Health authorities will be considered a combined region. The Vancouver Coastal Health and Fraser Health authorities will be considered a combined region as well. The boundaries of the Vancouver Island region will not change except with some exceptions for the central coast, the Bella Coola Valley and Hope. Details on this are available in the news release and on the COVID-19 website.
For all regions, people will be able to travel within the region or combined region in which they reside, but not out of their region or combined region. This order is to ensure that people stop traversing large parts of the province. For example, going from Kamloops to Whistler, or from Vancouver to Tofino. It will not apply to travel within the defined regions.
While this order doesn't stop someone from travelling large distances within their own region, from Merritt to Nelson, or Abbotsford to Squamish, for example, that does not mean these trips should be happening. Our message on travel has not changed. Do the right thing and stay within the areas that you live.
We also need the public to be informed before heading out, even locally. There are some places you simply should not go. Whistler's mayor, for example, is explicitly asking people not to visit right now. We need to make common sense decisions on how to protect us all from further spread. So go hiking, go camping, but do it locally.
The success of these travel restrictions will take the cooperation of all British Columbians. As with previous measures, this is an all hands on deck approach. To help ensure this order is effectively enforced and communicated, the province is working with the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure on highway signage, and installing new signage on the border. BC Ferries on restricting non-essential vehicle passage, deterring non-essential bookings and limiting sailings. Tourism and accommodation industry leaders on strongly encouraging all operators and businesses to support the order by declining new bookings from outside their region, and cancelling their out-of-area bookings. BC Parks to inform the public about restrictions and refund bookings where necessary. ICBC to contact their customers who have booked road tests outside their health authority and offer them another booking within their own region, if appropriate. And police departments on enforcement measures.
Over the coming days, we will continue working with police to establish additional measures to ensure they have the necessary authority to conduct periodic, roadside checks like the CounterAttack program at strategic points into and out of the defined regions. At that time, a contravention of this order may be subject to a $575 fine.
The provisions of this order recognize reasonable exemptions to travel restrictions, such as going to work, going to school, the commercial transportation of goods, returning to a principal residence, obtaining health care. A full list of exemptions is available in the news release and on the COVID-19 website and in the order itself.
Q&A
Reporter: I'm wondering if you have a definition of non-essential. If somebody, let's say their grandmother or grandfather dies in a different health authority, are they able to leave their health authority to go to another one to attend a funeral, for instance?
Min. Farnworth: Yes, they are. And in fact, you will see a very comprehensive list of what is considered as essential travel that is in the order. This is primarily focused on recreational travel, non-essential travel. That's what it's focused on. It recognizes there are essential reasons to travel, and they are listed in the order. But the example you gave absolutely would be considered legitimate.
Reporter: When you talk about Vancouver Coastal Health and Fraser Health being one health authority, that's a pretty large region. I know the message is to stay local, but there are questions about whether somebody in Vancouver could be travelling to Hope [inaudible] for instance. And would these rules apply no matter how [inaudible] those who cycle or pedestrians?
Min. Farnworth: This order is prohibiting travel outside the health authority, the health region. In essence, Fraser Health and Vancouver Coastal, the lower mainland. But within that, the guidelines that the provincial health officer has put in place still remain. That advice is don't travel outside your local area. So if you live on the North Shore, stay on the North Shore. If you want to go hiking, then go hike up Grouse Mountain. Hike the trails in that community. If you live in the Tri-Cities, Burke Mountain has wonderful trails. Stay in your local area. Those still apply.
Reporter: It looks like the Atlantic bubble was able to enable provinces to police the travel between their borders. They have police on the highway, the Trans-Canada, stopping people from entering Nova Scotia from New Brunswick. Why can't that work here with Alberta? And when will you release that legal opinion that you've referenced?
Min. Farnworth: The situation in BC is, I would argue, significantly different than that of Atlantic Canada -- The size and geography of our province. What we are doing is dealing with the provincial health order's request to restrict intraprovincial travel. There will be signs and signage at the Alberta border discouraging people from non-essential travel. We have been working with the tourism industry to cancel out-of-province bookings, and they have been working very cooperatively with us and doing a terrific job in doing so. Right now we are doing what is required by the provincial health officer.
Reporter: Will you release the legal opinion that you have referenced as to why BC can't enable more stringent restrictions at the border? And sorry, I just heard you. Is that all out-of-province bookings are being cancelled and who is following up?
Min. Farnworth: We are working with the tourism association to encourage tourism operators -- for example, let's say, in the Okanagan -- to not accept out-of-area or out-of-province bookings and to cancel bookings that have already been made.
We have been very pleased with the response, because they recognize that we deal with this now, and then they have a greater chance of having the kind of summer I think all of us in this province want.
Reporter: There have been a lot of different terms thrown out. Stay in your local areas. Stay in your community. People are confused by this in some regards. And I know we can't go over every single possible thing people are asking to do. But there's a sense that people can go camping from the City to Chilliwack or you can play golf from the City to Squamish. Are these things that are still okay to do because they are outdoor activities? Or how do you define your local area or community?
Min. Farnworth: The provincial health officer in the guidelines to date about local I think have been pretty clear and pretty straightforward. That is, if you really have to ask, 'Should I go out to Chilliwack,' the answer is no, you shouldn't if you live in Vancouver. As I said earlier, if you live on the North Shore, that is your local area. Stay in that area. I live in the Tri-Cities. I'm not be going to White Rock, as much as I might want to. I am staying in the Tri-Cities. If I live in Surrey, that is my local area. If you're on the North Shore and you go hiking, you have got lots of trails and mountains to do that. Likewise, out my way. If you are in Vancouver, you've got Stanley Park. I think most people understand what their local area means.
Reporter: What about private bookings like Airbnb? Many are desperate for the tourism dollars. Will there be any way to monitor or enforce perhaps under-the-table reservations that could still see people, especially from other provinces, coming here when they shouldn't be, to stay?
Min. Farnworth: We are working with the tourism industry very closely on these kinds of issues. My message would be this. I understand if you're an Airbnb relying on the business for your place, and obviously it clearly is important. Now is not the time to encourage people to come out to BC. If you want to have a long-term viability, understand that these health restrictions, these travel restrictions, have been put in place for just this reason.
We get this virus under control, we get the population vaccinated so going from 30% today to 60% by the May long weekend, then all of a sudden that starts to have a significant impact in terms of hospitalizations and caseloads and pressure on our health care system, and that will allow us to have the kind of summer that tourism operators, including Airbnb types, want to have to ensure a long-term viability of their business.
Reporter: I'm just picturing the checkpoints. Do you think this will boil down to police pulling over anybody in an RV or a camper or with a canoe on top? I can't see them interrogating every single traveller about their reasons for travel.
Min. Farnworth: That is why, as I said, the details on the order will be coming out next week. But the bottom line is this. This is about discouraging travel, unnecessary travel, common sense, ensuring that people know what is going to be taking place. That is why it is being brought in now. That is why there is a sunset clause that it will expire after the 25th of May, after the May long weekend. It is about reminding people that if we take this action now, don't travel outside our health region, like outside of the lower mainland to the Interior, from the lower mainland to Vancouver Island, then you know what? Come the summer, we will be in a much better place, where you hopefully will be able to travel like we used to."
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