Non-esstential travel banned, cops will do roadside checks
Non-essential travel between health authorities in B.C. will be prohibited beginning Friday in a bid to slow the spread of COVID19.
Police will pull over drivers at random on B.C. highways to enforce the travel ban, which will remain in place at least until after the Victoria Day long weekend, Premier John Horgan announced Monday.
“This will be conducted through random audits not unlike roadside stops for CounterAttack during the Christmas season,” Horgan said.
“There will be a fine if you are travelling outside of your area without a legitimate reason.
“This is about travel. There will be no additional authority given to police,” said Horgan.
Horgan added that people should not “fear” the coming roadside checks. “This will be a random audit to ensure people are following the guidelines.”
Signs will also be put up at the B.C.-Alberta border telling people not to enter B.C. unless for essential business, Horgan said: “They should not be here. They should be back in their home communities.”
He said the “vast majority” of British Columbians are not making non-essential trips between health regions, but added that roadside checks were still necessary.
“It’s for that small group of people that are not listening, are not paying attention, and are putting their fellow members of the community at risk,” Horgan said. “That’s who we’re focusing on.”
Greater detail on exactly how the roadside checks will be conducted will be provided later this week by Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth.
In consultation with the tourism and hospitality industries, Horgan said, reservations made by residents of one health authority for hotels, motels, or campgrounds in another area will not be accepted until at least after the Victoria Day long weekend.
“Do not try and book somewhere outside of your area because the tourism operator in that community will not book you,” Horgan said.
The ban out out-of-area bookings will be voluntary, for now, Horgan said, adding he expected widespread compliance. But he said the government would introduce a public health order prohibiting tourism operators from taking such bookings, if needed.
The police-enforced ban on nonessential travel between health regions is required to damp down a recent surge in COVID-19 infections, Horgan said, while the vaccination program remains on a schedule that would see every adult British Columbian offered at least one dose by Canada Day.
“These measures are designed not to put more stress on an already-stressed tourism sector,” Horgan said. “Quite the contrary. We are working in collaboration with the tourism sector to make sure that they can have a positive summer and a fall and a winter that will try and make up some of the fallback that they’ve seen as a result of COVID-19.”
All previously issued public health orders, such as the ban on indoor dining at restaurants and a prohibition against indoor worship, remain in place.
“This is done with a heavy heart, but it’s done with a resolute purpose: that together for the next five weeks, we can get to the end,” Horgan said.