Kamloops gyms fined for staying open against health order

KAMLOOPS — Two Kamloops gyms were fined Thursday after remaining open in defiance of a B.C. COVID-related public health order that mandates all gyms and fitness centres close until at least Jan. 18.

No Limits Fitness, at 905 Eighth St. in North Kamloops, and Anytime Fitness, at the Cityview shopping centre in Aberdeen, at Hillside Way and Rogers Way, each received $2,300 violation tickets under the COVID Related Measure Act.

Kamloops RCMP Const. Crystal Evelyn said the detachment received a request on Wednesday to assist Interior Health enforcement officers with two local businesses allegedly in breach of a public health order.

Interior Health said in a statement that all fitness facilities are expected to comply with the order to reduce the impact of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 on communities.

Since the order was issued in December, Interior Health said it has followed up with 15 facilities in the region, issuing five warning letters. Some gyms in Kamloops planned to stay open, arguing the mental-health wellbeing of their clientele was at stake, and noting no outbreaks had occurred within their facilities.

No Limits Fitness co-owner Justin Grover confirmed the gym was fined. However, he said the facility will remain open.

“Because our stance is about people before profits and I don’t care about the money,” he said. “The money is irrelevant to me. This is about people’s mental health, emotional wellness, physical well-being. That’s what this is about and if it costs me some money to stand up for the gymgoers and the people that rely on our place, it costs me some money. That’s the cost of doing business.”

Grover said he has asked the Health Ministry for statistics upon which provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix based their decision to close gyms in B.C. during the latest COVID wave, the fifth to occur since the pandemic was declared in March 2020. Grover said he hasn’t been provided with that information. Kamloops This Week has also requested it and is awaiting a response from the ministry.

During COVID briefings, Henry has said the spread of the virus has occurred in fitness facilities. Early in the pandemic, a spin studio in the Lower Mainland was cited as a location for transmission in that area.

Fitness studios have been forced to adapt and close at various points in the pandemic. Grover, however, said outbreaks aren’t happening in gyms and he wants to see the stats.

“And, if you’re closing down an entire industry over three or four cases, then … maybe the premier needs to step in and have some conversations with his people,” Grover said.

In addition, Grover has requested the minutes of meetings by public officials in discussing the decision to close gyms. He said he hasn’t yet been provided with those documents. He said he has also requested to speak with Henry and Dix, to no avail.

“Why haven’t they reached out to me and said, ‘You know what, let’s talk about the why and hows and what can we do as a governing body to support your business?’ instead of flat out shut it down,” he said.

Interior Health said further steps will be taken in response to gyms that remain open. It said enforcement is progressive, beginning with education and escalating to closure and ticketing when necessary.

Grover said if proof that his facility has been problematic is provided to him, he will close. For now, he said, members of his and other gyms, along with owners of other facilities across Canada, have sent their support.

He said gym members have said they would support No Limits through a fundraising campaign, should it continue to receive fines.

Anytime Fitness has not returned calls requesting comment.