Wedding, funeral industries call for reintroduction of COVID-19 safety measures
After B.C. gyms were given the go-ahead to reopen with COVID-19 safety plans last week, the wedding and funeral industries are calling for the same treatment.
Indoor, organized gatherings in B.C. have been banned since Dec. 23, when the province introduced new restrictions to curb the rapid spread of the Omicron variant. Those restrictions were extended on Jan. 18.
Liting Chan runs Paradise Events, a Burnaby-based studio that specializes in weddings. She said her business has already lost $50,000 in revenue for January and fears what the rest of the year will look like given the amount of planning that’s needed for a wedding.
“When you shut down completely, it’s not just one month, it’s an entire year, and this is our third year, so we cannot handle another year,” Chan said.
Chan is part of a growing social media movement calling for the reopening of the events industry in a safe way. The hashtags #ReopenBCWeddings and #SaveBCEvents are being used on Instagram to promote the stories of industry members. They’re asking for a return of the COVID-safety plans that allowed events to go ahead last year at venues with mask-wearing, spacing and no dancing.
“When there are rules put into place for other business like restaurants, sports events, even casinos, I don't see a difference from that,” Chan said.
Those who organize funerals and celebration of life events want the same kind of treatment. Under the Public Health guidelines, those events can be held at a church or funeral home, where they can be classified as a “worship gathering.”
Emily Bootle, a death-care provider with Koru Cremation Burial Ceremony in Vancouver, said those two venues don’t make sense for many people.
“The family is choosing a venue very intentionally that’s connected to their loved one,” Bootle said. “They want to go to restaurants, they want to go to community centres, they want to go to facilities and venues that are in the community.”
Bootle said she’s had to explain the rules to many people who are grieving, saying it’s been a “really excruciating process” to walk through with them. Most are choosing to delay ceremonies altogether, she said.
“Our bereaved are very silently and secretly wounded people,” Bootle said.
Both Bootle and Chan said those in their industries already know how to hold safe events, given they were doing it at certain points through 2021. They’re calling for public health officials to allow the same plans to be implemented now.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
Suter scores late goal, clinches series for Canucks
Pius Suter scored with 1:39 left and the Vancouver Canucks advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs with a 1-0 victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday night in Game 6.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.