bc essential travel only

What you need to know about B.C.'s travel restrictions

The province has issued orders curbing intraprovincial travel to try to slow the spread of covid-19.

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This story was updated on April 26.

Travel restrictions announced earlier by B.C. Premier John Horgan were formalized under the provincial Emergency Program Act on Friday, April 23, becoming effective immediately.

Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth said the new orders are meant to limit non-essential travel and curb the spread of COVID-19.

The restriction will be in place at least until the end of the May 24 long weekend because, according to Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry, that's when the province expects to have vaccinated 60 per cent of B.C.'s adult population. 

Where do the restrictions apply? 

The government has created three zones based roughly on health regions between which non-essential travel is prohibited:

• The Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley (Vancouver Coastal Health and Fraser Health areas).
• Vancouver Island (Island Health).
• Northern and Interior regions (Northern health and Interior Health).

For the purposes of the travel restrictions, a portion of the Vancouver Coastal Health region north of the Sunshine Coast, including Bella Coola, will be considered part of the combined Northern and Interior regions, as will the District of Hope and the Central Coast.

What kind of travel is limited?

Restrictions are mostly meant to target recreational travellers, according to Horgan and Farnworth.

B.C. residents cannot book accommodations or camping sites outside their zone. Operators will cancel any bookings that have already been made and B.C. Parks will refund anyone with a provincial camping site reservation outside of their zone.

• Video B.C. to restrict non-essential travel between 3 provincial health zones

BC Ferries has stopped accepting bookings for recreational vehicles such as campers and trailers. The ferry service is contacting passengers with existing reservations to ensure they are essential travellers. No extra sailings will be added this year for the May long weekend.

"This order is to ensure that people stop traversing large parts of the province," Farnworth said. "Go hiking, go camping, but do it locally."

What is considered essential travel?

• Attending school or work.
• Transporting commercial goods.
• Returning to a principal residence.
• Accessing child care.
• Using health care or assisting someone in obtaining health care.

Can I travel within my zone? 

Yes, you can travel within your zone although Horgan urged citizens to stay close to home for the next five weeks.

"We're asking people to use their common sense," said the premier. 

Will there be roadside checks?

Yes. Farnworth said roadside checkpoints could be set up in places like Hope where three highways branch off to connect the Fraser Valley with the Interior, and at ferry terminals connecting the B.C. mainland and Vancouver Island.

He compared the monitoring of travellers to the province's CounterAttack program, where police stop vehicles in an attempt to nab drunk drivers.

Are there penalties for not following the orders? 

Yes, individuals can receive a violation ticket of $575 for breaking the orders. Farnworth said new legislation is coming to give authorities greater power to collect the fines.

• No roadblocks coming between Vancouver and Burnaby, public safety minister promises

What about out-of-province travellers? 

The provincial government says it will be erecting new border signs along the B.C.-Alberta border, reminding people to stay within their own province if travel isn't essential. At this point, there will be no checkpoints.

Horgan said he's grateful that other provinces are encouraging their residents to stay home, adding that anyone trying to book accommodations from outside of B.C. over the next five weeks won't be able to do so.

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Enforcement measures build on success of non-essential travel restrictions.

Honourable Mike Farnworth

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To help keep communities safe and protect British Columbia’s health-care system from COVID-19, the Province 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, 2021.

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:

• Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley (Fraser Health and Coastal Health regions);
• Vancouver Island (Island Health region); and
• Northern/Interior (Interior Health and Northern Health regions).

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 significant declines in out-of-region visitors and bookings, and BC Parks has reported more than 5,000 cancellations in the past few weeks. Building off this success in limiting non-essential travel, the province will authorize site-specific, clearly marked police road checks to further curb recreational travel.

The road checks may be put in place at any time until the order is lifted at 12:01 a.m. on May 25, 2021, (after the May long weekend). The road checks may be set up on highway corridors that connect different regions of the province to remind travellers of the order.

“These restrictions on non-essential travel are saving lives, it’s in the best interest of all British Columbians to follow them, and I know most are given the significant drop we’ve seen in out-of-region travel,” Farnworth said. “But it is also important that we get enforcement right, and consider concerns raised by the public and incorporate the feedback received from racialized communities. I want to be clear that the intent of this order is not punishment, but rather education around non-essential travel prevention to protect us all from the spread of COVID-19. My hope is that every British Columbian realizes the tremendous progress we can make if we stay close to home, and we can give the heroes in our health-care system a fighting chance at putting the current spike in cases behind us.”

When stopped at a road check restricting non-essential travel, police will only have the authority to request:

• a driver’s name, address and driver’s license
• any available documentation regarding driver’s name and address (for example, secondary identification that confirms a driver’s residential address if recently moved)
• the purpose of the driver’s travel (documentation regarding travel is not required)

Police cannot engage in arbitrary vehicle or street checks. Site-specific enforcement measures will be informed by ongoing discussions with stakeholders on limiting the impacts to the public and racialized communities. If police have reasonable grounds to believe that a person has travelled for a non-essential purpose, they can direct the traveller to turn around and leave the region. These measures will be limited to site-specific and authorized police operations on travel corridors between regions.

The goal of these road checks is education and further discouraging people from travelling for non-essential reasons. If compliance measures are deemed necessary by police, fines can be handed out. At the discretion of police, a contravention of this Emergency Program Act travel order may be subject to a $575 fine.

The RCMP will deploy a trained, dedicated team to manage and enforce road check locations, and ensure interactions are in line with the intent of the order and all existing police policy and police standards.

While the travel order puts legal limits only on travel between regional zones, the PHO’s guidance remains unchanged throughout B.C.: everyone should continue to stay within their local community – essential travel only.

Learn More:

For more information about current COVID-19 travel restrictions, visit: www.gov.bc.ca/covidtravel

For information on BC Ferries measures to support this order, visit: www.bcferries.com/travel-advisories

For information on the latest PHO orders and guidance, non-medical issues like travel recommendations and how to manage social isolation, visit: www.gov.bc.ca/COVID-19

For more information and latest medical updates on COVID-19, follow the BC Centre for Disease Control on Twitter @CDCofBC or visit its website: http://www.bccdc.ca

For translations, visit:  http://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2021PSSG0031-000793#translations

A backgrounder follows.

Backgrounders

Facts about on non-essential travel limits in b.c..

This order applies to non-essential travel. It does not apply to:

• moving to a different principal residence or assisting a person to move for that purpose;
• carrying out a work-related purpose, including volunteer work;
• commercially transporting goods;
• receiving health-care services or social services or assisting someone to receive those services;
• attending court;
• complying with a court order;
• exercising parental responsibilities, including spending parenting time with a minor child;
• accessing child care;
• attending classes or receiving training through a post-secondary institution or school;
• responding to emergencies or critical incidents, including incidents that involve search and rescue operations;
• a psychological, behavioural or health condition, or
• a physical, cognitive or mental impairment;
• visiting by an essential visitor or a social visitor as provided in the guidance of the Ministry of Health set out in a document titled Ministry of Health - Overview of Visitors in Long-Term Care and Seniors’ Assisted Living that went into effect on April 1, 2021;
• attending a funeral service;
• travelling under the authority of a variance of an order issued by the provincial health officer under the Public Health Act if the variance was made before this order comes into force;
• travelling for the purpose of avoiding the risk of abuse or violence;
• travelling by residents of the local health area of Bella Coola Valley or Central Coast to Port Hardy to obtain essential goods and supplies;
• travelling by residents of the local health area of Hope to Chilliwack to obtain essential goods and supplies;
• travelling by residents of the Northern Health Authority region into the Nis×a’a Health Authority region;
• travelling by residents of the Nis×a’a Health Authority region into the Northern-Interior Health Authority region;
• returning to a person’s own principal residence.
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The B.C. Public Service acknowledges the territories of First Nations around B.C. and is grateful to carry out our work on these lands. We acknowledge the rights, interests, priorities, and concerns of all Indigenous Peoples - First Nations, Métis, and Inuit - respecting and acknowledging their distinct cultures, histories, rights, laws, and governments.

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Everything to know about B.C.'s new guidance on travel in the province

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Ready to explore B.C. this summer?

Provincial officials announced the beginning of Step 2 in B.C.'s Restart Plan Monday (June 14), which will allow British Columbians to enjoy travel across the province for the first time in several months. 

"Thanks to our collective efforts and commitment to get vaccinated, we are ready to take another step forward in our careful restart," said Premier John Horgan. "This next step means seeing more of the people we love, visiting more of our favourite places and safely celebrating the major milestones we've missed. Better days are in sight, but we must continue to do our part, get vaccinated, keep our layers of protection strong and work together to put this pandemic behind us." 

Recreational travel is now permitted across the province and the order restricting travel has been lifted.  However, Horgan noted that "we are advising against travel outside of the province."

In Step 2 of B.C.'s Restart Plan, the following restrictions have been lifted and you may enjoy the following: 

• Provincial travel restrictions lifted
• Recreational travel within B.C. allowed
• BC Transit and BC Ferries offers increased service as needed

Melanie Mark, Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport, said, "Our step-by-step reopening plan is giving British Columbians what they have been waiting for. The best way we can show our love for B.C. is to get out and eat, stay, shop and play. Whether it's watching your kids play sports outside, going to the theatre or travelling to new and exciting destinations across the province, we can finally get out and support people, jobs and our economy."

B.C. prepares to safely move to Step 2 of its restart plan

Public health safety protocols, such as mask-wearing in all indoor public spaces and physical distancing, will remain in place during Step 2.

British Columbians travelling within B.C. are asked to plan ahead and be respectful while visiting communities, especially smaller and rural towns, as well as Indigenous communities - including respecting local travel advisories. Travel manners and guidelines to follow during summer trips and vacations include:

* getting vaccinated;

* pre-trip planning and research before arriving at destination;

* respecting any local travel advisories to isolated and remote communities and Indigenous communities;

* following masks guideline;

* respecting personal space and practising good hygiene, including frequent handwashing; and

* no travelling for anyone who is sick. If symptoms develop while travelling, self-isolate immediately and contact 811 for guidance and testing.

The transition into Step 2 of the four-step restart plan aligns with key metrics for moving forward. More than 75 per cent of adults are vaccinated with their first dose, exceeding the target Step 2 minimum threshold of 65 per cent. The other metrics for moving through the stages - COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations - continue to steadily decline. 

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Metro Vancouver transit operator urges 'essential travel only' amid B.C. snowstorm

Metro Vancouver's transit operator saw delays and cancellations across its system Wednesday as snowfall totals approached 30 centimetres in some parts of B.C.'s Lower Mainland.

TransLink urged users to restrict their rides to "essential travel only" as the operator worked to maintain service levels across the region despite the treacherous road conditions.

"Please use caution, give yourselves extra travel time and remember to dress warmly in anticipation of potential delays," TransLink said in an alert Wednesday morning.

"We continue to salt and sand bus loops and SkyTrain stations, but please use caution in these areas," the service warned. "There may be extra crowding on some bus routes and SkyTrain platforms."

TransLink says it has activated its snow plan, meaning all 18-metre (60-foot) buses have been swapped out for the more agile 12-metre (40-foot) vehicles.

"This means there is reduced space on routes that normally operate with 60-foot buses," the transit operator said in a service alert.

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In an evening update, TransLink said some bus routes at higher altitudes may end service early due to road conditions. Several routes in the Tri-Cities were not operational Wednesday afternoon.

TransLink said the 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186, 187, and 191 buses would not be running until conditions in the area improved.

TransLink says SkyTrain service was running with frequencies "slightly lower than normal" throughout the day. All stations on all three train lines were operational.

"Anti-icing trains have been deployed to prevent the power rail from ice buildup," the operator said.

Staff have also been deployed to the front of the trains to avoid emergency braking, TransLink said.

HandyDART is running with reduced service levels, TransLink says. Customers with medical appointments, work or school will be prioritized until roads are cleared.

SEABUS AND WEST COAST EXPRESS

SeaBus service and the West Coast Express are running regular service Wednesday,

The latest updates from the transit service are available here .

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Provincial State of Emergency Expired: Sept. 14, 2023.

The Provincial State of Emergency issued by the Province of BC on August 18, 2023, expired at the end of day Thursday, September 14, 2023 (Pacific time).

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Apr 19th, 2021

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British Columbia Restricts Travel to Essential Only

Premier John Horgan announced extended and new travel restrictions today to help stop the spread of Covid-19 variants and ensure a safe and open summer. Horgan said the new restrictions were put in place to ensure that British Columbians stay within their own local areas and reduce non-essential travel.

As local tourism leaders await further details on an upcoming provincial order that would formally restrict non-essential travel, they say the move is a tough but necessary one that will hopefully preserve Fernie’s summer.

The provincial government says it will be erecting new border signs along the B.C.-Alberta border, reminding people to stay within their own province if travel isn’t essential. The roadside checkpoints will apply to all travellers, and Horgan likened it to the impaired driving checkpoints conducted during the Christmas season. Horgan said the authority for the checkpoints will come from the Emergency Program Act.

Horgan said he’s grateful that other provinces are encouraging their residents to stay home, adding that anyone trying to book accommodations from outside of B.C. over the next five weeks won’t be able to do so. “There will be a fine if you are travelling outside of your area without a legitimate reason,” Horgan said, although he did not provide details on how much the fine would be.

B.C. residents will not be able to book accommodations or a camping site outside of their local health authority. Initially this is being implemented on a voluntary basis in cooperation with BC’s tourism sector, but Horgan said he will introduce a government order if necessary. Operators will cancel any bookings that have already been made, he said.

It is technically permissible for Fernie residents to travel within the Interior Health region — but Horgan urged residents to stay close to home for the next five weeks. “We’re asking people to use their common sense,” the premier said, “Do not plan a holiday until after the May long weekend.”

“We’re not going to follow other provincial leads and bring forward proposals that can’t be enforced,” Horgan said. “It is not our objective to go into some sort of state where we are watching and monitoring everybody’s activity.”

Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth will be issuing orders on Friday under the Emergency Program Act to restrict a person’s ability to leave their health-care authority. The order will be enforced through a roadside checkpoint program. The formal order for the restrictions will be put in place later this week, and they are in effect until Monday, May 24, the end of the May long weekend.

Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.’s provincial health officer, said May 24 was chosen because it’s when the province expects to have 60 per cent of its adult population protected with the COVID-19 vaccine.

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Everything to know about B.C.'s new guidance on travel in the province

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Ready to explore B.C. this summer?

Provincial officials announced the beginning of Step 2 in B.C.'s Restart Plan Monday (June 14), which will allow British Columbians to enjoy travel across the province for the first time in several months. 

"Thanks to our collective efforts and commitment to get vaccinated, we are ready to take another step forward in our careful restart," said Premier John Horgan. "This next step means seeing more of the people we love, visiting more of our favourite places and safely celebrating the major milestones we've missed. Better days are in sight, but we must continue to do our part, get vaccinated, keep our layers of protection strong and work together to put this pandemic behind us." 

Recreational travel is now permitted across the province and the order restricting travel has been lifted.  However, Horgan noted that "we are advising against travel outside of the province."

In Step 2 of B.C.'s Restart Plan, the following restrictions have been lifted and you may enjoy the following: 

• Provincial travel restrictions lifted
• Recreational travel within B.C. allowed
• BC Transit and BC Ferries offers increased service as needed

Melanie Mark, Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport, said, "Our step-by-step reopening plan is giving British Columbians what they have been waiting for. The best way we can show our love for B.C. is to get out and eat, stay, shop and play. Whether it's watching your kids play sports outside, going to the theatre or travelling to new and exciting destinations across the province, we can finally get out and support people, jobs and our economy."

B.C. prepares to safely move to Step 2 of its restart plan

Public health safety protocols, such as mask-wearing in all indoor public spaces and physical distancing, will remain in place during Step 2.

British Columbians travelling within B.C. are asked to plan ahead and be respectful while visiting communities, especially smaller and rural towns, as well as Indigenous communities - including respecting local travel advisories. Travel manners and guidelines to follow during summer trips and vacations include:

* getting vaccinated;

* pre-trip planning and research before arriving at destination;

* respecting any local travel advisories to isolated and remote communities and Indigenous communities;

* following masks guideline;

* respecting personal space and practising good hygiene, including frequent handwashing; and

* no travelling for anyone who is sick. If symptoms develop while travelling, self-isolate immediately and contact 811 for guidance and testing.

The transition into Step 2 of the four-step restart plan aligns with key metrics for moving forward. More than 75 per cent of adults are vaccinated with their first dose, exceeding the target Step 2 minimum threshold of 65 per cent. The other metrics for moving through the stages - COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations - continue to steadily decline. 

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The huge solar storm is keeping power grid and satellite operators on edge

Geoff Brumfiel

Willem Marx

NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this image of solar flares early Saturday afternoon. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says there have been measurable effects and impacts from the geomagnetic storm. Solar Dynamics Observatory hide caption

NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this image of solar flares early Saturday afternoon. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says there have been measurable effects and impacts from the geomagnetic storm.

Planet Earth is getting rocked by the biggest solar storm in decades – and the potential effects have those people in charge of power grids, communications systems and satellites on edge.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says there have been measurable effects and impacts from the geomagnetic storm that has been visible as aurora across vast swathes of the Northern Hemisphere. So far though, NOAA has seen no reports of major damage.

The Picture Show

Photos: see the northern lights from rare, solar storm.

There has been some degradation and loss to communication systems that rely on high-frequency radio waves, NOAA told NPR, as well as some preliminary indications of irregularities in power systems.

"Simply put, the power grid operators have been busy since yesterday working to keep proper, regulated current flowing without disruption," said Shawn Dahl, service coordinator for the Boulder, Co.-based Space Weather Prediction Center at NOAA.

NOAA Issues First Severe Geomagnetic Storm Watch Since 2005

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"Satellite operators are also busy monitoring spacecraft health due to the S1-S2 storm taking place along with the severe-extreme geomagnetic storm that continues even now," Dahl added, saying some GPS systems have struggled to lock locations and offered incorrect positions.

NOAA's GOES-16 satellite captured a flare erupting occurred around 2 p.m. EDT on May 9, 2024.

As NOAA had warned late Friday, the Earth has been experiencing a G5, or "Extreme," geomagnetic storm . It's the first G5 storm to hit the planet since 2003, when a similar event temporarily knocked out power in part of Sweden and damaged electrical transformers in South Africa.

The NOAA center predicted that this current storm could induce auroras visible as far south as Northern California and Alabama.

Extreme (G5) geomagnetic conditions have been observed! pic.twitter.com/qLsC8GbWus — NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (@NWSSWPC) May 10, 2024

Around the world on social media, posters put up photos of bright auroras visible in Russia , Scandinavia , the United Kingdom and continental Europe . Some reported seeing the aurora as far south as Mallorca, Spain .

The source of the solar storm is a cluster of sunspots on the sun's surface that is 17 times the diameter of the Earth. The spots are filled with tangled magnetic fields that can act as slingshots, throwing huge quantities of charged particles towards our planet. These events, known as coronal mass ejections, become more common during the peak of the Sun's 11-year solar cycle.

A powerful solar storm is bringing northern lights to unusual places

Usually, they miss the Earth, but this time, NOAA says several have headed directly toward our planet, and the agency predicted that several waves of flares will continue to slam into the Earth over the next few days.

While the storm has proven to be large, predicting the effects from such incidents can be difficult, Dahl said.

Shocking problems

The most disruptive solar storm ever recorded came in 1859. Known as the "Carrington Event," it generated shimmering auroras that were visible as far south as Mexico and Hawaii. It also fried telegraph systems throughout Europe and North America.

Stronger activity on the sun could bring more displays of the northern lights in 2024

While this geomagnetic storm will not be as strong, the world has grown more reliant on electronics and electrical systems. Depending on the orientation of the storm's magnetic field, it could induce unexpected electrical currents in long-distance power lines — those currents could cause safety systems to flip, triggering temporary power outages in some areas.

my cat just experienced the aurora borealis, one of the world's most radiant natural phenomena... and she doesn't care pic.twitter.com/Ee74FpWHFm — PJ (@kickthepj) May 10, 2024

The storm is also likely to disrupt the ionosphere, a section of Earth's atmosphere filled with charged particles. Some long-distance radio transmissions use the ionosphere to "bounce" signals around the globe, and those signals will likely be disrupted. The particles may also refract and otherwise scramble signals from the global positioning system, according to Rob Steenburgh, a space scientist with NOAA. Those effects can linger for a few days after the storm.

Like Dahl, Steenburgh said it's unclear just how bad the disruptions will be. While we are more dependent than ever on GPS, there are also more satellites in orbit. Moreover, the anomalies from the storm are constantly shifting through the ionosphere like ripples in a pool. "Outages, with any luck, should not be prolonged," Steenburgh said.

What Causes The Northern Lights? Scientists Finally Know For Sure

The radiation from the storm could have other undesirable effects. At high altitudes, it could damage satellites, while at low altitudes, it's likely to increase atmospheric drag, causing some satellites to sink toward the Earth.

The changes to orbits wreak havoc, warns Tuija Pulkkinen, chair of the department of climate and space sciences at the University of Michigan. Since the last solar maximum, companies such as SpaceX have launched thousands of satellites into low Earth orbit. Those satellites will now see their orbits unexpectedly changed.

"There's a lot of companies that haven't seen these kind of space weather effects before," she says.

The International Space Station lies within Earth's magnetosphere, so its astronauts should be mostly protected, Steenburgh says.

In a statement, NASA said that astronauts would not take additional measures to protect themselves. "NASA completed a thorough analysis of recent space weather activity and determined it posed no risk to the crew aboard the International Space Station and no additional precautionary measures are needed," the agency said late Friday.

People visit St Mary's lighthouse in Whitley Bay to see the aurora borealis on Friday in Whitley Bay, England. Ian Forsyth/Getty Images hide caption

People visit St Mary's lighthouse in Whitley Bay to see the aurora borealis on Friday in Whitley Bay, England.

While this storm will undoubtedly keep satellite operators and utilities busy over the next few days, individuals don't really need to do much to get ready.

"As far as what the general public should be doing, hopefully they're not having to do anything," Dahl said. "Weather permitting, they may be visible again tonight." He advised that the largest problem could be a brief blackout, so keeping some flashlights and a radio handy might prove helpful.

I took these photos near Ranfurly in Central Otago, New Zealand. Anyone can use them please spread far and wide. :-) https://t.co/NUWpLiqY2S — Dr Andrew Dickson reform/ACC (@AndrewDickson13) May 10, 2024

And don't forget to go outside and look up, adds Steenburgh. This event's aurora is visible much further south than usual.

A faint aurora can be detected by a modern cell phone camera, he adds, so even if you can't see it with your eyes, try taking a photo of the sky.

The aurora "is really the gift from space weather," he says.

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Everything to know about B.C.'s new guidance on travel in the province

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Ready to explore B.C. this summer?

Provincial officials announced the beginning of Step 2 in B.C.'s Restart Plan Monday (June 14), which will allow British Columbians to enjoy travel across the province for the first time in several months. 

"Thanks to our collective efforts and commitment to get vaccinated, we are ready to take another step forward in our careful restart," said Premier John Horgan. "This next step means seeing more of the people we love, visiting more of our favourite places and safely celebrating the major milestones we've missed. Better days are in sight, but we must continue to do our part, get vaccinated, keep our layers of protection strong and work together to put this pandemic behind us." 

Recreational travel is now permitted across the province and the order restricting travel has been lifted.  However, Horgan noted that "we are advising against travel outside of the province."

In Step 2 of B.C.'s Restart Plan, the following restrictions have been lifted and you may enjoy the following: 

• Provincial travel restrictions lifted
• Recreational travel within B.C. allowed
• BC Transit and BC Ferries offers increased service as needed

Melanie Mark, Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport, said, "Our step-by-step reopening plan is giving British Columbians what they have been waiting for. The best way we can show our love for B.C. is to get out and eat, stay, shop and play. Whether it's watching your kids play sports outside, going to the theatre or travelling to new and exciting destinations across the province, we can finally get out and support people, jobs and our economy."

B.C. prepares to safely move to Step 2 of its restart plan

Public health safety protocols, such as mask-wearing in all indoor public spaces and physical distancing, will remain in place during Step 2.

British Columbians travelling within B.C. are asked to plan ahead and be respectful while visiting communities, especially smaller and rural towns, as well as Indigenous communities - including respecting local travel advisories. Travel manners and guidelines to follow during summer trips and vacations include:

* getting vaccinated;

* pre-trip planning and research before arriving at destination;

* respecting any local travel advisories to isolated and remote communities and Indigenous communities;

* following masks guideline;

* respecting personal space and practising good hygiene, including frequent handwashing; and

* no travelling for anyone who is sick. If symptoms develop while travelling, self-isolate immediately and contact 811 for guidance and testing.

The transition into Step 2 of the four-step restart plan aligns with key metrics for moving forward. More than 75 per cent of adults are vaccinated with their first dose, exceeding the target Step 2 minimum threshold of 65 per cent. The other metrics for moving through the stages - COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations - continue to steadily decline. 

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