Posted: Jan 14, 2021 6:44 PM PT | Last Updated: January 15
Tla’amin Nation Councillor Brandon Peters said he was shocked to hear that members of his community were not allowed into stores like Save-On-Foods in Powell River, B.C. (Submitted by Brandon Peters)
Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has added her voice to those condemning businesses for denying Indigenous people entry due to COVID-19 fears, calling it racism.
But the businesses which include a restaurant, dentist s office and grocery store claimed they were trying to stop COVID-19 from spreading from nearby Indigenous communities.
The CBC has learned that Save-On-Foods in Powell River, the Glen Lyon Restaurant in Port Hardy, and a dentist s office in Duncan all refused service to Indigenous people, citing cases of COVID-19 in their communities as a reason.
B.C.'s curve has started to bend down again following a bump after the holidays, but health officials are warning British Columbians to keep following public health measures as they watch for two confirmed coronavirus variants in the province.