VICTORIA — As of Friday, British Columbia will impose travel restrictions to prevent movement outside of health regions.
Premier John Horgan says the government has been working with the tourism industry and B.C. Ferries to deter people from booking accommodation if they live outside their intended destination.
Horgan says Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth is expected to provide more details about the travel restrictions on Friday.
With the new restrictions, signs are being placed along the Alberta-B.C. border discouraging travel into the province.
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“We’ll be putting new border signs along the Alberta border, reminding our travellers coming from outside the province that unless they’re coming for essential business, they should not be here. They should be back in their home communities,” Horgan said on Monday.
Meanwhile, orders issued under the Emergency Program Act, will restrict people’s ability to leave their health authority without a legitimate reason.
“This will be conducted through random audits, not unlike roadside stops for a counter attack during the Christmas season,” Horgan said.
The random road checks, will remain in effect until at least the end of the May long weekend. That is the earliest B.C.’s “circuit breaker” restrictions could be changed.
B.C. has extended COVID-19 restrictions banning indoor dining and adult fitness activities at gyms for another five weeks and she says B.C. will join other provinces in providing the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine to people aged 40 and up, instead of starting at age 55.
– With files from the Canadian Press
