Return to work curtailed at northern work sites

VICTORIA (CP) — Thousands of workers who would normally return to their jobs at industrial projects in northern British Columbia after the holiday break are spending more time in their home communities in an effort to ease the strain on the Northern Health region's health-care system.

The risk of continued spread of COVID19 has prompted the province's top doctor to limit the number of workers allowed to return to five major industrial projects in the region over the next two months.

Dr. Bonnie Henry’s health order posted last week said many of the workers are housed in camps and close contact between large numbers of people living or working together is tied to increased spread of COVID-19.

“The risk of an outbreak of COVID-19 arising from the mass return of large numbers of workers to worksites and industrial camps associated with the projects constitutes a health hazard under the Public Health Act,” the order says.

The directive from Henry covers two projects in Kitimat on B.C.'s north coast: LNG Canada’s construction of its liquefied natural gas export terminal and the twinning of a water tunnel that feeds Rio Tinto’s aluminum smelter.

Henry’s order also includes construction on the Site C dam near Fort St. John and the Coastal GasLink and Trans Mountain pipelines.

The Northern Health Authority has confirmed just over 2,000 cases of COVID-19 so far, including nearly 600 that remain active and 27 deaths.

An outbreak of COVID-19 at two Coastal GasLink workforce accommodation sites declared on Dec. 19, 2020, includes six active infections among 53 confirmed cases. Northern Health said it’s working with the company and the prime contractor at the two worksites to ensure enhanced infection prevention and control measures are being followed.

Northern Health said in a recent statement that all 56 employees at LNG Canada’s worksite in Kitimat have recovered from COVID-19 after testing positive in November. A second and unrelated outbreak last month sickened 16 staff who have since recovered.

There have been 30 cases of COVID-19 confirmed at the Site C work camp, including three active infections.