Spring has sprung, and many British Columbians have begun making plans to get outdoors while copying with restrictions for just over a year.
While exploring British Columbia was once encouraged, rising COVID-19 cases may jeopardize getaways locals have in mind for the warmer months ahead.
B.C. Premier John Horgan states he remains open to the idea of travel restrictions if deemed necessary, and his cabinet will internally discuss the matter when it meets on Wednesday, April 14.
“There were suggestions that MLAs should reach out to the B&B sector in their community and say, ‘Don’t do anymore bookings.’ And many are not,” Horgan said on Tuesday. “We will use the tools that are available to us if we believe that they will be effective. But effective deployment of these rules is the challenge, and we’ve been talking about that for a year as well,” he added.
BC Travel Ban
This doesn’t come at much of surprise granted the COVID-19 restrictions placed during the end of March have made little to no visible impact, and are expected to be extended through the end of May.
This also won’t be the first time Horgan explores an interprovincial travel ban, as the idea of a ‘B.C. bubble’ was also in consideration earlier this year – and received a lot of publish support. Ultimately, it was shut down as the Premier was advised the Province couldn’t legally enforce such a measure.
While B.C. battles a third wave, Dr. Bonnie Henry is urging the public to stay home, and help limit the spread of transmissible COVID-19 variants.
“If you live in North Van, you should not be traveling to Langley, or to Richmond. If you live in the Lower Mainland, you should not be traveling to the island. If you live in Penticton, you should not be going to Sun Peaks or Oliver or Kelowna right now. We need to only do those types of travel if it’s essential, and nothing more,” she said during a media conference on Monday.
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