Vancouverites eager to spend time with loved ones in first long weekend without restrictions

It's the first long weekend in two years without any COVID-19 restrictions, and for many, it's a chance to spend time with family and friends.

For those celebrating Easter or Passover, the weekend will also be the first time they can gather for in-person services without worry of any restrictions.

Despite the country being in a sixth wave of the pandemic, many in Vancouver say they’ve waited long enough and are ready to embrace their loved ones again, including Yosani Clay, who travelled from Houston to visit his Canadian friends.

"I was in the house locked up. So now I've got to get around at big gatherings,” he said, adding that he’s eager to take advantage of the weekend, which he hopes will resemble a pre-pandemic one.

“That's exactly what I'm out here doing. (Having a) nice long weekend,” he said.

He isn't the only one looking forward to spending time with loved ones — 16-year-old Esma Devlin has some big plans as well.

"I'm excited because we're probably going to be connecting with our grandparents more,” she said.

"Yeah. Going to see some grandparents who we haven't seen for a while,” echoed her mother, Susan Devlin.

This weekend is especially important for those marking Easter as worshippers can finally attend mass in-person without worry of restrictions.

“I heard from one person ... with tears running down their face, they say they feel like they're home,” said Cheryl Koop, the co-founding pastor for Coastal Church.

Members of her church watched Easter services virtually in previous years due to COVID-19, but now she says “the church family is coming back.” For some, this weekend will be their first time back since 2020.

According to Koop, Sunday mass is expected to draw in more than 3,000 people – both in-person and online.

"It's so encouraging. You see what it does for people. I saw that this morning. How encouraged they were,” she said.

Easter isn’t the only holiday taking place this weekend, as many of the Jewish faith are looking forward to celebrating Passover with their family.

"This is the first time in three years that many of us (in) the Jewish community have been able to travel to be with family,” said Rabbi Dan Moskovitz of Temple Sholom.

He travelled to California this weekend to spend the holiday with his family, who he hasn’t seen since the onset of the pandemic.

“I imagine many Jews, I know many of my rabbinic colleagues in Vancouver are travelling right now as well,” he said.

Religious leaders say people can choose to gather with or without a mask, as the main focus is on the religious holiday itself.