B.C.'s new COVID-19 restrictions on religious gatherings met with mixed reactions
New restrictions on in-person religious gatherings in B.C. have been met with mixed reactions from places of worship.
On Tuesday, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced multiple new restrictions including the removal of an indoor mask mandate exemption.
Previously, those attending church services and other religious gatherings were exempt from provincial mask mandates, though they were still encouraged to wear face coverings.
However, with concerns caused by the new Omicron variant, Henry lifted the exemption.
"There'll be some tension,” said Mardi Dolfo-Smith, discipleship pastor at the North Shore Alliance Church.
"We understand why that’s a requirement but it will cause some hardship for some of our people who are adverse to wearing masks.”
On top of the mask mandate, worship services must now be limited to 50 per cent capacity, unless every participant is vaccinated.
Dolfo-Smith says they’ll go with the capacity limit option to ensure none of their members are left out.
"The people that have chosen not get vaccinated really need to be in the community, they need to meet with us, they need to know they're cared for and loved,” she said.
“Excluding them could be detrimental to the unity in our community."
Dolfo-Smith says they fear that the province will soon make full vaccination a requirement for everybody entering into places of worship.
“That would cause a lot of conflict in our community," she said.
However, at the Congregation Beth Israel Conservative Synagogue, that same concern is not shared.
"We have had a vaccine mandate in place for a number of months now,” said Rabbi Jonathan Infeld.
Infeld says their members were in support of the requirement, with little to no push back.
"People have been happy to show their vaccine passport or other proof that they're vaccinated, it's gone really well.”
No timetable was given on how long the new rules will remain in place.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Federal government grants B.C.'s request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces
The federal government is granting British Columbia's request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces, nearly two weeks after the province asked to end its pilot project early over concerns of public drug use.
Testifying in hush money trial, adult film actor Stormy Daniels describes first meeting Trump
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential election 10 years later.
MPs agree Canadian gov't should improve new disability benefit
The federal government needs to safeguard the incoming Canada Disability Benefit from clawbacks and do more to ensure it actually meets the stated aim of lifting people living with disabilities out of poverty, MPs from all parties agree.
King Charles too busy to see son Prince Harry during U.K. trip
Prince Harry will not be seeing his father King Charles during his current visit to Britain as the monarch will be too busy, Harry's spokesperson said on Tuesday.
Boy Scouts of America changing name for first time in 114 years, aiming for inclusivity
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Trudeau's handling of Poilievre's 'wacko' House turfing a clear sign of Liberal desperation
When Speaker Greg Fergus tossed out Pierre Poilievre from the House last week, "those of us who have experience as parliamentarians simply couldn't believe our eyes," writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his column for CTVNews.ca
Security guard shot, seriously injured outside of Drake's Toronto mansion
A security guard working at Drake’s Bridle Path mansion in Toronto was seriously injured in a shooting outside the residence early Tuesday morning, police said.
Katy Perry's mom was fooled by AI images of the singer at the Met Gala
Katy Perry did not attend the Met Gala on Monday, but some of the singer’s fans – and even her mom – thought she did.