British Columbia is reopening partially from May 19th.
B.C.’s reopening will look different than other provinces because much of the economy was not shut down. Unlike many other provinces, British Columbia never asked hardware stores, and garden centres to close.
BC Parks, recreation sites and trails that can accommodate physical distancing reopened for day use from May 14th. Camping reservations will reopen on May 25th.
All businesses that plan to reopen on May 19th should adhere to WorkSafeBC protocols.
WorkSafeBC protocols for restaurants range from using large menu boards or disposable menus instead of traditional ones to installing decals on the floor to control the flow of customers, to minimizing the use of shared kitchen equipment and appliances.
In addition to restaurants, cafes and pubs, businesses and services that are allowed to reopen on Tuesday include retailers, recreation facilities, libraries, museums and child care facilities, as well as personal service establishments such as hair salons and barbers.
Registered massage therapy, physiotherapy, dentistry, in-person counselling and similar health services may also reopen according to the industry-specific guidelines from WorkSafeBC.
What is reopening in British Columbia from May 19th:
- Restoration of health services including Re-scheduling elective surgery
- Medically related services:
- Dentistry, physiotherapy, registered massage therapy, and chiropractors
- Physical therapy, speech therapy, and similar services
- All retail stores
- Hair salons, barbers, and other personal service establishments
- In-person counselling
- Restaurants, cafes, and pubs (with sufficient distancing measures)
- Museums, art galleries, and libraries
- Office-based worksites
- Recreation and sports
- Parks, beaches, and outdoor spaces
- Child care
Future Reopening:
All the reopening plans are contingent on organizations and businesses having plans that follow provincial guidelines to control the spread of COVID-19.
- Hotels, resorts and parks will follow in June.
- Parents in B.C. will be given the choice of allowing their children to return to class on a part-time basis in June. The government says its goal is for the return of full-time classes in September if it’s safe. Under the part-time plan, for kindergarten to Grade 5, most students will go to school half time, while grades 6 to 12 will go about one day a week.
- A mix of online and classroom post-secondary education is planned for September.
- Conventions, large concerts, international tourism and professional sports with a live audience will not be allowed to resume until either a vaccine is widely available, community immunity has been reached, or effective treatment can be provided for the disease.
— With Files From The Canadian Press