Vaccine-card enforcement: 885 complaints filed in B.C.; 13 violation tickets issued
Just over a dozen enforcement tickets were handed out in the first month of B.C.'s vaccine-card program, but hundreds of complaints were issued to officials.
B.C.'s vaccine card rules rolled out on Sept. 13, requiring proof of immunization to access many discretionary businesses and events like restaurants, movie theatres and games.
In a statement to CTV News Vancouver, B.C.'s public safety ministry and office of the solicitor general said 885 complaints have so far been received by local health authorities and the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch.
From those, 648 were investigated and 401 were "resolved through education and compliance," the ministry's statement said.
Beyond that, 48 warning letters were issued and 13 violation tickets were handed out.
As of Oct. 3, only three tickets had been issued, meaning 10 more were handed out in a 12-day period.
As well, the ministry said three closure orders were issued to businesses over the past month. Two liquor licences were suspended and one business licence was suspended.
Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth said earlier in the month that more enforcement was coming.
"I'm aware that there are those that think the rules don't apply to them," Farnworth said last week. "Tickets have been issued and there will be more coming."
The ministry said nearly 3.6 million people have downloaded their vaccine cards.
Starting on Oct. 24, the next phase of the vaccine-card program will begin. Starting that date, proof of full vaccination will be required to access those discretionary services.
However, officials have previously said they don't expect to see as many vaccine card tickets because of how many residents are already vaccinated.
"We anticipate that the number of violation tickets issued in relation to vaccine card requirements will be much lower than the rate of violation tickets in previous months," the ministry said in an email.
With files from CTV News Vancouver's Alissa Thibault
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs to start for Canucks in Game 1 vs. Oilers
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs will start in net for the Canucks as Vancouver kicks off a second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers Wednesday night.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.