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B.C. government introducing travel restrictions to free up accommodations for evacuees

The B.C. government is using the extraordinary powers granted to it under its state of emergency declaration to implement a restriction on tourism-related travel to areas affected by wildfires.

Premier David Eby announced the order at a news conference Saturday afternoon.

He said the order is intended to ensure sufficient temporary accommodations are available to people who are evacuating or are involved in fighting fires.

"The current situation is grim," Eby said, adding that there are about 35,000 people on evacuation order across the province and another 30,000 are on evacuation alert and may need to leave at a moment's notice.

"We have an urgent need for more accommodation," the premier said. "This order says, 'Stay off the roads for tourist-related, non-essential travel to stay in temporary accommodation.'"

The order applies specifically to the Okanagan region, according to Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness Bowinn Ma.

"People, families, firefighters and other front-line responders need a safe place to stay during this extremely challenging and difficult time," Ma said. "Under this order, we are restricting travel to several communities for anyone planning on staying in temporary accommodation."

Communities included in the order are Kelowna, Kamloops, Oliver, Osoyoos, Penticton and Vernon, the minister said.

"Let me be clear: Temporary accommodation in the areas I have listed are no longer available for non-essential visits. If you do not need to travel to these areas for essential reasons, we need you to change your plans." Ma said.

She asked those who are currently vacationing in the area to consider cutting their visits short in order to free up more space.

"I want to thank everyone who has already cancelled their plans to travel to the Okanagan," Ma said. "Your efforts are helping."

The premier also thanked people for staying home, characterizing the order announced Saturday as the formalization of what the province was already requesting when it declared a state of emergency Friday . 

"We shouldn't need an order," he said. "Please, just stay out of these areas if you don't have to be there." 

Declaring a state of emergency grants the province extraordinary powers under the Emergency Program Act, allowing for swifter responses to rapidly developing crises.

Those powers can include restricting travel, forcing evacuations, and even commandeering personal property if doing so is deemed necessary for disaster response.

The government previously declared province-wide states of emergency in March 2020 as part of its response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and in November 2021 following the historic floods and landslides that left several communities under water and cut off highway access to the Lower Mainland.

The declarations remain in place for two weeks by default, at which time they can be renewed or cancelled. Officials also have the ability to call them off at any time.

With files from CTV News Vancouver's Andrew Weichel 

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BC Government News Release: Adjusted Order on Accommodation and Travel Restrictions

Details from the BC Government news release: 

Bowinn Ma, Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness, has released the following statement about travel restrictions for the purpose of staying in temporary accommodation:

“In recent days, B.C. experienced some of the most devastating wildfires in our history. We want to express our deepest gratitude to everyone who cancelled their plans to travel to the Interior in recent days, as well as to our partners in the tourism industry for their support and understanding.

“The emergency order we put in place on Saturday has had the effect we required and thousands of hotel rooms were made available for people forced from their homes, as well as the many firefighters and emergency crews who are protecting us during the worst wildfire season in our history. Working with local governments and First Nations, we will continue to place people in the accommodations that are now available.

“Because of this, we are lifting travel restrictions for the purpose of staying in temporary accommodation for most of the southern Interior, with the exception of West Kelowna. The order will be lifted for Kelowna, Kamloops, Oliver, Osoyoos, Penticton and Vernon starting tomorrow, Aug. 23, 2023.

“Non-essential travel to West Kelowna continues to be prohibited for the purpose of staying in temporary accommodation, including hotels, motels, inns, bed and breakfasts, hostels, RV parks, and campgrounds, to ensure accommodation is available for those who may need it.

“If you are planning on travelling in B.C., please do so safely and avoid fire-affected communities. Know before you go and be prepared. Many communities continue to be impacted by wildfires and continue to face challenges. Listen to the direction of local communities. Respect emergency orders and alerts. While many communities in the Interior are looking forward to welcoming people, others, like Lake Country and the Shuswap, are advising that now is not a good time to visit.

“We’re asking anyone who’s travelling to monitor information from the BC Wildfire Service, EmergencyInfoBC and DriveBC. Highway 1 between Chase and Sorrento remains closed.

“We want to thank everyone for their empathy and willingness to change their plans to support their fellow British Columbians who are impacted by these devastating wildfires. The situation remains dynamic. We will continue to assess the situation, work with local governments and First Nations, and adapt our response as needed to.”

Read the full BC Gov news release, here: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2023EMCR0057-001332

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The Ministry of Finance oversees travel policy. For detailed allowances and reimbursements review Core Policy and Procedures Manual chapter  10: Travel .

You'll be allowed certain travel allowances and expenses depending on your travel allowance group .

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Paying for travel, vehicles and mileage, accommodation and lodging, miscellaneous allowances and reimbursements, travel outside the province, get reimbursed.

Apply for a travel credit card to pay for travel and approved expenses. Pay the monthly statement balances and claim for reimbursement. Most travel expenses are covered using this method, with the exception of airline tickets and some taxi billings.

For expenses related to meals, please note that where a meal is provided without charge or is paid for from public funds, no claim for that meal can be made.

Be sure to keep all receipts and remember to:

• Obtain expense authority approval to travel before expenses are incurred
• Certify that your travel expense claims are correct, complete and comply with policy

When public transportation or a privately owned vehicle is not available or economical, a government car is the first choice. Use the following criteria to select appropriate vehicle use for your business travel.

For daily travel under 150 km per day:

• Public transportation
• Privately owned vehicle

For daily travel greater than 150 km per day:

• Government car

If you're buying insurance when renting a car, review  Travel/Vehicles – Chapter 10.3.9 of the Core Policy and Procedures Manual.

Claim mileage when using your own vehicle for business travel or getting to a departure location (for example, airport, bus or ferry terminal). Carpooling is expected when it's practical do so in order to minimize costs and the production of greenhouse gas emissions. Review  Appendix 1 - Travel Allowances (PDF, 51KB) for rates.

Stay with family or friends while working away from home and claim the private accommodation allowance as per Appendix 1 - Travel Allowances (PDF, 51KB) . Or use the business travel accommodation listing to find a hotel that qualifies for reimbursement.

Claim meal or per diem expenses (PDF, 51KB ) based on your travel allowance group .

To claim meals, travel status must:

• Begin before 7 am on the date of departure to claim breakfast
• Begin before 12 pm on the date of departure to claim lunch
• End after 6 pm on the date of return to claim dinner

Some employees receive a per diem that includes allowances such as ferry tolls, personal phone calls, laundry, dry cleaning and porterage fees. 

Review the  Foreign Travel Guide (PDF, 523KB) (IDIR restricted) to learn more about travel outside the province.

Use iExpenses to enter and submit expense reports for business travel expense reimbursements, check the status of your expense reports, view payment information and access notifications.

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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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Bowinn Ma, Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness, has released the following statement about travel restrictions for the purpose of staying in temporary accommodation:

“In recent days, B.C. experienced some of the most devastating wildfires in our history. We want to express our deepest gratitude to everyone who cancelled their plans to travel to the Interior in recent days, as well as to our partners in the tourism industry for their support and understanding. 

“The emergency order we put in place on Saturday has had the effect we required and thousands of hotel rooms were made available for people forced from their homes, as well as the many firefighters and emergency crews who are protecting us during the worst wildfire season in our history. Working with local governments and First Nations, we will continue to place people in the accommodations that are now available. 

“Because of this, we are lifting travel restrictions for the purpose of staying in temporary accommodation for most of the southern Interior, with the exception of West Kelowna. The order will be lifted for Kelowna, Kamloops, Oliver, Osoyoos, Penticton and Vernon starting tomorrow, Aug. 23, 2023.

“Non-essential travel to West Kelowna continues to be prohibited for the purpose of staying in temporary accommodation, including hotels, motels, inns, bed and breakfasts, hostels, RV parks, and campgrounds, to ensure accommodation is available for those who may need it.

“If you are planning on travelling in B.C., please do so safely and avoid fire-affected communities. Know before you go and be prepared. Many communities continue to be impacted by wildfires and continue to face challenges. Listen to the direction of local communities. Respect emergency orders and alerts. While many communities in the Interior are looking forward to welcoming people, others, like Lake Country and the Shuswap, are advising that now is not a good time to visit. 

“We’re asking anyone who’s travelling to monitor information from the BC Wildfire Service, EmergencyInfoBC and DriveBC. Highway 1 between Chase and Sorrento remains closed. 

“We want to thank everyone for their empathy and willingness to change their plans to support their fellow British Columbians who are impacted by these devastating wildfires. The situation remains dynamic. We will continue to assess the situation, work with local governments and First Nations, and adapt our response as needed to.”

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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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Tourism operators anticipate rush as recreational travel ban lifts in B.C.

70 per cent of tourism revenue disappeared during the pandemic, but boom is expected for summer 2021.

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Recreational travel within B.C. is now allowed for the first time in months  — a move welcomed by the tourism industry, small tourism operators and people across the province who have been cooped up since pandemic restrictions kicked in.

Amber Jensen, who runs the Four Winds Bed and Breakfast on Saturna Island in the Southern Gulf Islands, said the news brings a huge sense of relief after a year of constant ups and downs.

"You'd have your bookings and then two days before people were supposed to be here ... they couldn't come," she said.

"Having it open up and hearing that is very helpful for everyone on the island."

Jensen was able to keep her business semi-operational throughout the pandemic, as her facilities were used by essential workers like builders and service people who came to do repairs on the island.

• B.C. records 277 new cases of COVID-19 and 4 more deaths over the weekend

But she's looking forward to welcoming back regulars who have visited for years and have been forced to stay away.

"I've kept those bookings in the event that we were opening up this year... but now I'm getting [even more] bookings to fill all the holes in the summer," she said.

Jensen, who has run her business for 19 years, says she anticipates a busy year for the tourism sector after a year of pent up demand.

Tourism is a $22 billion industry in B.C., that employed 150,000 people throughout 19,000 tourism businesses before the pandemic, according to Maya Lange with Destination B.C.

Lange said that around 70 per cent of tourism-related revenue was lost during the pandemic as travel restrictions were brought in and non-essential businesses were shut down. 

"It's been nothing short of devastating, for the entrepreneurs, the families, the communities, the large businesses that employ thousands of people," said Lange.

"We estimate that we will return to 2019 revenue levels in about 2024 — so we're expecting a pretty rapid rise post-pandemic."

Cautious optimism

B.C. didn't enforce travel restrictions until early May 2021, when RCMP introduced road checks to discourage non-essential travel.

Whistler Blackcomb remained open for most of the ski season, and was shut down in March as the resort town became a hotspot for the   P1 Brazilian variant.  Last summer, Kelowna also became a hotspot for the virus after Canada Day gatherings led to at least 130 new cases.

But with just 277 new cases recorded in B.C. over the weekend and vaccination rates climbing, provincial officials are confident in the re-opening plan. 

• Recreational travel within B.C. allowed again as province's restart plan moves ahead

"Really, the best thing you can do is book a week-long getaway, instead of a weekend," said tourism minister Melanie Mark on Monday, though visitors from outside the province are still asked to stay away.

Jensen said she anticipates the season could be bright but tough for some operators, who will need to hire staff and prepare facilities while facing unprecedented demand.

Indeed, the BC Ferries website crashed and phone lines were overwhelmed as people rushed to book sailings following the provincial announcement on Monday. Executive director of public affairs Deborah Marshall said they've added extra service for the upcoming Father's Day weekend in anticipation of people wanting to travel between the mainland and islands to see family or go camping.

Around June 25, she said the summer sailing schedule will be posted, and will return to pre-COVID capacity. 

Lange said that while bookings at popular hotspots may fill up fast, she hopes people in B.C. will venture to all corners of the province this summer.

"I think this is going to be an absolutely fantastic summer," she said, saying Destination B.C. has launched a "Be Open to More" campaign to encourage B.C. residents to explore beyond the more well-known locations.

"We know this is just the beginning of recovery."

With files from All Points West

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