Mask mandates are returning to health-care settings throughout British Columbia, with statistics showing an upward trend in COVID-19 and flu cases as respiratory illness season approaches. BC provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says the masks must be worn by all health-care workers, volunteers and visitors in patient-care areas starting October 3rd to guard against spreading COVID and other respiratory illnesses to vulnerable people. She says the mask mandate will be enforced, but she hopes it does not get to the point where security will be needed at facilities to make sure the rule is being followed. The mask mandate applies to all hospitals and medical facilities owned and operated by health authorities, as well as long-term care homes.
The local state of emergency in West Kelowna has been lifted more than a month after a devastating wildfire swept through the region. Central Okanagan Emergency Operations says it has also rescinded all remaining evacuation orders stemming from the McDougall Creek wildfire. West Kelowna was put under the state of emergency on August 16th as the 139-square-kilometre McDougall Creek fire destroyed or damaged nearly 190 properties. The blaze forced the evacuation of thousands of residents in Central Okanagan and is responsible for about half of the structures and homes lost in BC’s record wildfire season this year.
BC has issued an environmental assessment certificate for the contentious container port expansion project at Roberts Bank. The provincial government says in a statement that it “could not prohibit the project from going forward” because the project gained federal approval in April and rests almost entirely on federal land BC has set out 16 conditions in areas where the province has jurisdiction, including a wetland management plan, a wildlife management plan and a greenhouse-gas reduction plan for emissions. The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority says the three-berth marine container terminal in Delta is needed to prevent a capacity crunch, but five environmental groups launched a legal challenge in May saying the project would disrupt critical wildlife habitat.
Delta’s mayor is sounding the alarm on the lack of security at Canada’s ports, which makes them targets for criminal elements looking to set up shop there. George Harvie says Canadian ports are a federal responsibility, but there is a “total absence” of uniformed police at the docks to counter the flow of illegal drugs, weapons and contraband through these facilities. Delta has released a report on the matter, finding there is “literally no downside” for organized criminals to set up shop. The city is home to the Roberts Bank Terminal, and expansion plans over the coming years will see millions more containers move through the Port of Vancouver annually.
Mounties in Creston say they have arrested a 19-year-old man after he allegedly breached his conditions for being at a residence in the city. They say officers responded to a disturbance call and found the man with a loaded firearm. Police say they arrested him and he is now facing charges, including unauthorized possession of the firearm. They say he appeared in court and was remanded into custody until his next appearance.
Travellers are being urged to book ahead if they can as BC Ferries prepares for a busy Thanksgiving long weekend. BC Ferries says it’s anticipating to welcome about 380-thousand
passengers over the long weekend and will offer three-thousand sailings between October 5th and 10th. The company also says the Spirit of Vancouver Island, which travels between Tsawwassen and Swartz Bay, will be temporarily removed from service following the Thanksgiving weekend. BC Ferries says it will take nine days to finish the “necessary ballast tank repairs” on the Spirit of Vancouver Island, and customers are encouraged to book ahead of time between October 11th and 18th.