Gym closure order made 'without any supporting data,' MLA says in letter calling for reversal

A B.C. MLA is calling on the NDP government to reverse a COVID-related public health order, claiming it was made "without any supporting data."

In an open letter to the health minister, Ben Stewart, the representative for Kelowna West and a member of the opposition Liberals, wrote that his office has received "many" calls and emails from constituents frustrated with the current order.

Gyms and fitness centres in the province were closed on Dec. 22 by a new public health order in place until Jan. 18 at least. The provincial health officer has hinted that some of B.C.'s restrictions will be extended beyond that date, but has not said which ones.

"The decision was made for British Columbians without any supporting data that gyms and fitness centres were causing the spread of COVID-19," he wrote.

Gyms have been closed multiple times during the pandemic, but were most recently open with safeguards in place, he wrote, listing measures in place to keep patrons safe. He mentioned the important role exercise can play in physical and mental health, and noted the weather makes it difficult to do some outdoor activities, such as going for a walk.

Stewart wrote that "many studies" have shown the health benefits of gyms, though he did not cite any specific research.

He suggested instead of mass closures, the public health order should be reversed, allowing gyms and fitness centres to stay open with measures in place to manage the risk.

Some of those fitness centres have chosen to stay open anyway, including a few in Stewart's riding. Owners face fines for violating public health orders, but at least one plans to fight those tickets in court.

Deciding to go against the public health order means the owners won't be eligible for relief grants from the province.

The provincial health officer has been asked about the research backing the closure of fitness facilities several times, including at a news conference on Jan. 4.

On that date, she said she'd talked to a "number of leaders in the fitness industry," and that the decision was not based on anything gym owners, staff or patrons had done wrong.

"They're doing a great job," Dr. Bonnie Henry said.

"The reality is, and we've seen this repeatedly, that the type of activities that happen in fitness centres, in gyms and in some of these spin classes, that these are indoor activities with adults in a group – even wearing masks – where you know that the risk is higher."

Henry said the risk is higher in some industries, and that those monitoring the spread of COVID-19 have "repeatedly seen the gyms become amplifiers, and we've had a number of examples of that that we put out information on."

"I can't tell you every single case that's been linked to a gym. But we can tell you that there that we've seen this as a pattern, that these are environments that are higher risk, and when there's a lot of transmission in the community."

She alluded to the fact that gyms are often used by younger people, a demographic that is more social, working and may have children, leading to further spread.

In his letter days later, Stewart suggested this is something gyms could control by appointment booking systems.

Henry said she's working with people in the industry to "make sure that we can get back to doing safe activities in gyms as soon as possible, as soon as this wave passes."

In the meantime, she recommended online classes, such as those offered by her gym.

Health Minister Adrian Dix, too, addressed calls for research backing the gym closures, but said transmission of Omicron is different than with other variants.

"Obviously, now that gyms are not open, that information or evidence you've asked for will not be attainable now. But public health rightly determined that they needed to take action. This was one of the areas that needed action in this period of very high transmission of COVID-19."