'Simply not acceptable': Kelowna businesses react to 'surprise' mask mandate in parts of B.C. Interior
The B.C. chamber representing businesses in the Kelowna area says it was not consulted before a mask mandate aimed at reducing COVID-19 transmission was reinstated in the region.
Officials announced new measures for the Central Okanagan Wednesday as COVID-19 infections have risen in the area.
Dr. Sue Pollock, chief medical health officer for the Interior Health Authority, told CTV News 323 cases were identified in the Central Okanagan since the start of the month, and that 97 per cent of those infected were either partially vaccinated or not vaccinated.
As a result, a mask mandate was reissued for all public indoor spaces for Kelowna, West Kelowna, Peachland and Lake Country.
"We can appreciate that with rising cases of infection in the area that reinstating a mask mandate is warranted but the surprise announcement with absolutely no advance consultation with our organization or the business community is simply not acceptable,” said Dan Rogers, executive director of the Kelowna Chamber, in a news release after the announcement.
“Businesses are frustrated and tired of trying to keep track of what’s required of them when changes are frequent and occasionally appear arbitrary."
Rogers said the chamber had "pushed" for regional rules "a long time ago."
“Now when things are a concern in one small area in the Interior, the B.C. government doesn’t seem to have a problem with regional-based restrictions," Rogers said.
Provincial health officials had previously said that rules would be applied across the board, but that policy changed recently, when B.C. entered Step 3 of its restart plan.
"As we move out of the pandemic, we no longer need to take broad sector, societal, provincial measures to try and stem the transmission of this virus," Dr. Bonnie Henry explained Wednesday. "But we still need to take some measures in those areas where we're seeing high levels of transmission."
It doesn't appear the chamber has an issue with the mask mandate itself, however, saying it may reduce conflicts some businesses had faced with customers.
"The increased case rate is a concern and threatens to dim the light at the end of the tunnel,” Rogers said. "It is a good reminder that the pandemic virus is still out there, and we still need to be diligent in how we operate, and the government needs to do more to encourage those who haven’t been vaccinated to pick up the pace."
But the chamber did seem to take issue with the province's recommendation that people avoid non-essential travel into and out of the Kelowna region if they're not fully vaccinated, saying it's encouraging health authorities "to focus their efforts more on 'how people behave' rather than where they're from."
The mask mandate went into effect at midnight Thursday. Bars, restaurants, gyms, casinos and nightclubs are all allowed to remain open, but must have safety measures in place including mandatory masks and not allowing guests to socialize between tables.
Officials are also recommending that gatherings – especially large ones – be held outdoors instead of indoors.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
The story of how a B.C. man found his birth mother
After his adopted parents died, Dave Rogers set out to learn more about his birth mother. DNA results and a little help from friendly strangers would put him on a path to a small town in England.
Montreal man on the hook for thousands of dollars after a feature on his Tesla caused an accident
A Montreal man is warning Tesla drivers about using the Smart Summon feature after his vehicle hit another in a parking lot.
Italy's white-collar mafia is making a business killing
Italy's mafia rarely dirties its hands with blood these days. Extortion rackets have gone out of fashion and murders are largely frowned upon by the godfathers.
Spike in 'violent rhetoric' since Oct. 7 attack from 'extremist actors,' CSIS warns
The Israel-Hamas war has led to a spike in 'violent rhetoric' from 'extremist actors' that could prompt some in Canada to turn to violence, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service warns.
Russia announces nuclear weapon drills after angry exchange with senior Western officials
Russia plans to hold drills simulating the use of battlefield nuclear weapons, the Defense Ministry announced Monday, days after the Kremlin reacted angrily to comments by senior Western officials about the war in Ukraine and Moscow warned that tensions with the West are deepening.
Summer forecast: What to expect as El Nino weakens
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Actor Bernard Hill, of 'Titanic' and 'Lord of the Rings,' has died at 79
Actor Bernard Hill, who delivered a rousing cry before leading his people into battle in 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King' and went down with the ship as the captain in 'Titanic,' has died.
Dash cam catches moment suspected drunk driver hits parked car, sends it careening into North Shore flower shop
Police say it’s fortunate no one was injured or killed in a collision at North Vancouver’s Park and Tilford shopping centre Saturday evening that sent one vehicle careening into a flower shop and another into a set of concrete barriers outside a Winners store.
Israeli army tells Palestinians to evacuate parts of Gaza's Rafah ahead of an expected assault
The Israeli army on Monday ordered tens of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza's southern city of Rafah to start evacuating from the area, signalling that a long-promised ground invasion there could be imminent.