Posted:
April 30, 2021
Road-checks planned to limit non-essential travel
The provincial government announced today it has authorized site-specific road checks on travel corridors between regions to help enforce the non-essential travel restrictions that were announced on April 23.
On the advice of B.C.’s provincial health officer (PHO), Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, issued an Emergency Program Act order to prohibit non-essential travel between three regional zones in the province.
The regional zones are:
Vancouver Island (Island Health region); and
Northern/Interior (Interior Health and Northern Health regions).
The Osprey crossing Kootenay Lake. e-KNOW file photo
During the first weekend of the new travel restrictions, BC Ferries vehicle traffic was down more than 25% fleet-wide, and passenger traffic down more than 30%, compared to the weekend before. Resort communities and accommodation businesses have contacted the province to note s
RCMP set up road checks to enforce travel restrictions with hefty fines
SHARE ON: Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth (Photo supplied by BC Government Flickr)
Starting immediately, RCMP can set up road checks to enforce provincial orders banning travel across the three defined regions in BC, which can be enforced with a fine.
Failure to comply with the requirements at a road check or the direction given by a police officer may result in a $230 fine, violating the travel order is a $575 fine.
If an RCMP officer believes a person has travelled for a non-essential purpose, they can direct the traveller to turn around and leave the region.
Police checkpoints to be set up between BC regions to stop non-essential travel
Police road checks will be set up to enforce rules blocking non-essential travel between British Columbia health regions.
Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth said the checkpoints will be set up along highway corridors that connect the different regions of the province.
Police will be able to fine drivers found to be contravening public health orders $575.
The regions are:
Vancouver Island (Island Health region)
Northern/Interior (Interior Health and Northern Health regions)
The road checks could be in place at any time until the order – issued on April 23 – is lifted at 12:01 am on May 25.
BC Ferries traffic dips as travellers heed non-essential ban
SHARE ON: BC Ferries vessel photo by Troy Landreville, Vista Radio
So far, so good for BC Ferries when it comes to the provincial health order banning non-essential travel.
BC Ferries reported a 32 percent dip in passengers and 25 percent reduction in vehicles across its fleet last weekend, compared to the previous one.
Spokesperson Deborah Marshall says people seem to be getting the message to stay on, and off, Vancouver Island unless it’s essential.
“Our traffic was already down substantially, but with that additional drop, what it means to us is that customers are clearly heeding the order that the province has recently issued and that is to travel for essential reasons only,” Marshall said.
Posted:
April 23, 2021
Regional zone travel restrictions enacted to May 25
The B.C. government this morning introduced travel restrictions that limit non-essential travel in the province as a means to limit the spread of COVID-19.
On the advice of Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.’s provincial health officer (PHO), Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, has issued a new order using the extraordinary powers of the Emergency Program Act to prohibit non-essential travel between three regional zones in the province, using health authority boundaries.
The regional zones are:
Vancouver Island (Island Health region); and
Northern/Interior (Interior Health and Northern Health regions).