Step 2: B.C. lifts more COVID-19 restrictions including ban on travel within the province
B.C. is moving ahead in its COVID-19 restart plan and lifting more restrictions, health officials announced Monday.
The changes come into effect on Tuesday, Premier John Horgan said in a news conference alongside Dr. Bonnie Henry and multiple cabinet ministers.
The government previously said COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations must be "declining" and at least 65 per cent of the adult population must be at least partially vaccinated before the province could move ahead with its restart plan.
More than 75 per cent of B.C. adults have now received at least one dose of vaccine.
Henry said data shows the province is "in a good position" with case counts and hospitalizations.
"Our progress so far, like the entire pandemic is a shared effort. A shared effort between public health, businesses, between every individual here in British Columbia," Henry said Monday. "We can all be proud of what we have achieved over the last few weeks."
Henry first announced the province's four-step plan last month. Here's what Step 2 includes:
Travel
Provincial travel restrictions will be lifted starting Tuesday, allowing for recreational travel within B.C. Non-essential travel outside the three designated health regions was banned on April 23. In anticipation of the influx of travellers, BC Transit and BC Ferries will be offering increased service as needed.
"This means we can visit family or friends across B.C. and stay for a while and visit in those communities," Henry said.
Horgan said non-essential travel from outside the province is still discouraged, however.
"Our advice to other Canadians is we will welcome you down the road, but not today," he said. "If you don't have business in British Columbia, it's our preference that you stay where you are."
Personal gatherings
The limit on outdoor personal gatherings, including birthday parties, backyard barbecues and block parties is increasing to 50 people. The cap on indoor personal gatherings will remain at five people or one other household, but playdates are allowed.
Organized gatherings
Seated indoor gatherings are increasing to 50 people, in line with the previous limit on seated outdoor and religious worship services. For larger places of worship, as much as 10 per cent capacity is allowed, if it's larger than 50. Weddings are considered events and follow indoor and outdoor organized gatherings rules.
Henry explained those rules mean indoor theatres – including movie theatres – can safely operate with capacity limits and COVID-19 safety plans in place.
Businesses
The cap on indoor and outdoor dining of six people at restaurants will remain in effect, though liquor will be served until midnight, instead of 10 p.m. For the first time in months, banquet halls will be able to operate with limited capacity and a COVID-19 safety plan in place. Consultation with sector associations will also begin for next steps on easing restrictions.
Offices and workplaces
Offices are allowed to continue gradually bringing employees back to workplaces. COVID-19 Safety Plan and daily health checks will remain mandatory. Step 2 allows small, in-person meetings as well.
Sports and exercise
Both high- and low intensity-indoor group exercise will be permitted with reduced capacity. Indoor and outdoor games and practices for both adults and youth group/team sports are also returning. Up to 50 spectators are now allowed outdoors, but are still banned indoors.
Under Step 2, the province's mask rules for indoor public spaces are still in place.
"Physically distancing and giving others space is also still required," Henry said.
"We need to recognize that not everybody is at the same place right now and we need to respect their ability to stay away from others."
After Step 2, the earliest date more restrictions will be lifted is July 1. Henry and Horgan emphasized officials will be closely monitoring cases, hospitalizations and vaccination rates over the next two weeks before moving to Step 3.
"We will continue to monitor through the incubation period before moving to the next stage," Henry said. "We will expect to have continued progress, moving back where we can get more of our social connections back together."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
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.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.