Don't call 911 to report vaccine card violations, B.C. officials remind businesses
B.C.'s largest emergency dispatch operator says it has seen "a small number of calls" related to the province's vaccine card system since it came into effect on Monday, Sept. 13, and it's reminding businesses and members of the public not to call 911 unless there's an immediate risk to public safety.
E-Comm, which handles the vast majority of 911 calls in B.C., said most of the vaccine-card-related calls it's received have been from businesses looking to report people who were unwilling to provide their cards.
"It’s important to remember that 911 is for emergency situations where life or property is in jeopardy," a spokesperson for E-Comm said in an email to CTV News Vancouver.
"Unless there is an immediate risk to public safety, such as someone causing a disturbance or acting aggressively, non-compliance related to immunization records should not be reported on emergency lines."
The dispatcher said it expected to see an increase in calls about vaccine card non-compliance over the weekend, when restaurants and bars are typically busier.
Since Sept. 13, B.C. residents have been required to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19 in order to patronize certain non-essential businesses and events.
Until Sept. 27, the paper immunization record provided at a B.C. vaccination clinic is acceptable, but after that date, residents will have to show their unique vaccine QR code, along with a piece of photo ID.
For now, proof of a first dose of vaccine is sufficient to gain entry into the designated areas. By Oct. 24, proof of full vaccination will be required.
Protests have been held across the province since the vaccine card system was announced, and thousands gathered at the Vancouver Art Gallery on Saturday for the latest round of demonstrations.
As of Friday, 86.5 per cent of eligible B.C. residents age 12 or older had received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 78.9 per cent had received both doses.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Trudeau promises $1B in loans for child-care providers to expand care centres
The federal government is launching a new loan program to help child-care providers in Canada expand their spaces, and will be extending further student loan forgiveness and training options for early childhood educators, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
Spring allergy season has begun. Where is it worse in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Ontario reveals highest public sector salaries in sunshine list
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
N.B. man wins $64 million from Lotto 6/49
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.
Fallen crypto mogul Sam Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years in prison
Crypto entrepreneur Sam Bankman-Fried was sentenced Thursday to 25 years in prison for a massive fraud that unravelled with the collapse of FTX, once one of the world's most popular platforms for exchanging digital currency.