50 new cases of COVID-19 recorded in BC; two additional cases for Northern Health

As British Columbians begin the mass migration that may mark a BC Day long weekend, some sobering numbers from the Provincial government. showcasing a significant jump in the daily totals for COVID-19.

In their Friday afternoon statement, Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix made note of fifty new cases today, two of which are found in the Northern Health Authority region, though indications are that they are not linked to the outbreak on Haida Gwaii.

 “Today, we are announcing 50 new cases, including five epi-linked cases, for a total of 3,641 cases in British Columbia. 

There are 278 active cases of COVID-19 in the province and 3,168 people who tested positive have recovered.

Of the total COVID-19 cases, five individuals are hospitalized, two of whom are in intensive care. The remaining people with COVID-19 are recovering at home in self-isolation. "

The provincial numbers for Friday include 1,088 cases of COVID-19 in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 1,889 in the Fraser Health region, 144 in the Island Health region, 369 in the Interior Health region, 88 in the Northern Health region, an increase of two from Thursday.

There are also 63 cases of COVID attached to people who reside outside of Canada.

The Friday update also observed of one more death related to COVID.

“There has been one new COVID-19 related death in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, for a total of 195 deaths in British Columbia. We offer our condolences to everyone who has lost their loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic."

As for the community outbreak on Haida Gwaii, the health officials noted that no new cases were reported today from that event from last week.

“There are no new community outbreaks. Public health teams continue to support the active outbreaks on Haida Gwaii and at Fraser Valley Packers Inc. 

There continues to be additional community exposure events across the province. A full listing of community exposure events related to flights and others within each health authority is available through the BC Centre for Disease Control, as well as on health authority websites."

Today's notes also observe as to the long weekend ahead and the need for British Columbians to be able to find the right balance towards social engagement and care and caution on COVID.

“We can make this B.C. Day holiday weekend one where we find the right balance: having those important social connections with our friends and family, while taking precautions to protect ourselves and those around us. “

Let’s socialize safely by keeping our groups small, using the layers of protection and giving everyone enough space to stay safe, whether at a backyard barbecue, on a friend’s boat or enjoying a nearby park."

Today's report also calls attention to a new guide from the government, designed to help towards the goals of social engagement called "Dr. Bonnie's Good times guide"

For the full statement from Friday see their report here.

The BC Centre for Disease control has some valuable Coronavirus notes related to COVID-19 you can explore that information here.

You can learn more about the outbreak from both the Province and the Federal government from the links below:

Federal Government site

British Columbia Government site

The World Health Organization website also offers up the latest advisories on the global situation.

More from  Northern Health can be reviewed here 

You can review our archive of past statements and local information here.

Local governments and organizations have also provided for increased awareness of COVID-19 issues, the string of statements that came quickly at the end of the week can be reviewed here.

For notes from across Canada and British Columbia we have been archiving the latest items through our political portal Darcy McGee

Ottawa Observations

Victoria Viewpoints

BC Government and Coastal First Nations to continue work on environment and to grow regional economy

The Province of BC and Coastal First Nations are expanding on their
work towards protection of the Great Bear Rainforest and economic
opportunity for communities of the alliance

The Provincial government and the Coastal First Nations have announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding that will see both parties continue to expand on their work towards protection of the environment and improve the coastal economy.

Today's announcement builds on work done towards the Reconciliation Protocol of 2009 which offered protection to the Great Bear Rainforest and committed towards development of a sustainable economy.

“We’re working to advance reconciliation together with Coastal First Nations by supporting strong climate action that protects natural ecosystems, biodiversity and old-growth forests while increasing economic opportunities for Indigenous peoples and supporting our CleanBC plan. This agreement builds on our shared commitment with Coastal First Nations to protect the iconic Great Bear Rainforest for future generations." -- North Coast MLA Jennifer Rice speaking to todays advancement on reconciliation work with Coastal First Nations

The new agreement outlines a long-term vision for B.C.’s mid- and northern coastal areas, guided by a shared belief in reconciliation, fiscal self-reliance and a collective responsibility to manage the natural environment in the face of climate change. This MOU provides a framework for continuing to protect the environment and increased economic development opportunities for Coastal First Nations communities.

As part of the memorandum, the Province and Coastal First Nations agree to pursue a conservation-based regional economy through a diverse set of initiatives to promote financial self-reliance. Initiatives include climate change and conservation, land and marine stewardship, including long-term marine use plans for B.C.’s north Pacific coast, economic development, connectivity and high-speed digital access.

“We look forward to working with the Province to rebuild a coastal economy, especially in these challenging COVID-19 times. As we continue our work towards reconciliation, it is imperative we continue to strengthen our government-to-government relationship. An integral part of our work together includes the Province’s commitment to supporting carbon-credit sales and the world-class work of our stewardship offices and guardian watchmen.” -- Chief Marilyn Slett, president, Coastal First Nations

Part of the program advanced today will see the province purchase carbon offsets from the Great Bear Rainforest carbon-offset projects, revenues from the offset sales will directly contribute to economic self sufficiency for local communities.

In addition to the background to the MOU, the province has offered up a video presentation to outline further some of the themes of their efforts for the Great Bear Rainforest.




The full terms of the Memorandum of Understanding can be reviewed here.

More on today's announcement, including a range of commentary from many of the First Nations leaders involved can be explored further here.

A wider overview of notes from the Legislature is available from our archive page.

BC Conservation Service Officers tasked with travel restriction enforcement to Haida Gwaii

Members of the BC Conservation Officer Service will be posted to
the Prince Rupert BC Ferry terminal there to enforce the non-residential
travel ban to Haida Gwaii

Members of the British Columbia Conservation Service will be manning the checkpoints at the Fairview Terminal for BC Ferries, with the officers on hand to ensure that no non-resident, non-essential travel is made to Haida Gwaii.

The use of the Conservation Service officers comes as part of the expanded measures put in place on Thursday by the British Columbia government, which has put a ban on non-residential travel to the Islands following the outbreak of COVID 19 last week.

As we noted on Thursday, the province working with Northern Health, First Nations Health, the council of Haida Nation and local governments on the Islands chose to put the ban on travel in place.

"The decision to restrict non-resident travel to Haida Gwaii has been made in a government-to-government collaboration with Council of the Haida Nation, Skidegate Band Council, Old Massett Village Council and local governments, in consultation with the provincial health officer. 

The Province will deploy staff to support communities on the mainland and on Haida Gwaii to implement the travel restriction."


BC Ferries highlighted the new measures this morning through their Social Media portals.

Full details on how BC Ferries is approaching the issue of travel to and from Haida Gwaii can be explored further here. 

For further background on the Province's response to COVID see our archive page here.

A wider overview of notes from Haida Gwaii can be reviewed here.

Government's Return to School plan gains a few caution flags from BCTF membership

Earlier this week Education Minister Rob Fleming outlined the British Columbia Government's Return to School plans for September, providing the update on the moves ahead as the Ministry moves towards Stage Two fo the BC Education Restart Plan.

“The classroom is an essential part of a child’s social, academic and mental development, and that’s why we are working hard to ensure students can safely spend the next school year with their teachers and classmates. We were the only jurisdiction in Canada that brought students back into the classroom provincewide before the end of the school year and this has given us valuable information that we are using to develop our plans, ensuring health and safety at schools remain paramount.” -- Rob Fleming, Minister of Education

As part of the relaunch for the September school year, the Minister made note of the consultation that the Ministry has done with the Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry.

On the advice of the provincial health officer, students will be organized into learning groups, a consistent group of staff and students. This will reduce the number of people each student or staff member will come into contact with, reducing the risk of transmission and ensuring quicker contact tracing by health authorities.

As part of the School relaunch plans, all boards of education and independent school authorities will continue to be required to implement a suite of health and safety measures to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, following the recently updated guidelines from the BC Centre for Disease Control.

"We know how important it is for children to be back in school – to both support their emotional and mental health and their ability to socialize and to learn. Being back in school is also crucial to support many parents in being able to work, but we must do it safely. We ask for families and workplaces to continue to be flexible as we come into the fall. We’ve put a lot of thoughtful work and consideration into reopening schools this fall and in making sure we’re supporting children in ways that keep them, the people who teach them and our communities safe.” -- Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.’s provincial health officer. 

The five stage Framework for K-12 Education provides for the expectations for the province's elementary, middle and secondary schools, with students to be organized into learning groups, which will reduce the number of close, in person interactions.

As part of the School relaunch, School Districts and Independent schools in the province will be required to submit a Restart Plan before the start of the school year.

Notes from the Wednesday announcement can be reviewed here.

The Full Review of the Stage Two restart can be explored here.

The province's plans have however raised a few flags for the BCTF which represents public school teachers across British Columbia, with the Federation raising a number of their concerns earlier today through social media.

Some further background on the BCTF Concerns can be reviewed here.

Also speaking to the School restart issues, is North Coast teacher Tom Kertes, who has been making use of his social media feed  to share some of his thoughts since the Ministry of Education released the Re-Start plan.

The local labour activist, who is currently the President of the Prince Rupert Labour Council has expanded on his themes on education through his RedForBCED blog, calling on the politicians to get out the way and to let teachers do their job.

So far School District 52 has not provided for any public details as to their School Restart plans for September.

For more notes related to Education in the Northwest see our archive page here.

A look at some of the provincial news coverage of the government's plans for the return to school and the BCTF Response can be found from our political Blog D'Arcy McGee and our Victoria Viewpoints feature.

Skeena MLA Ellis Ross seeks out more information on government's plans for future LNG related protests and civil unrest in BC

Skeena MLA Ellis Ross raised a number of questions related to
policing civil disruptions as part of a Thursday committee session

The topic of civil unrest and how the province plans to address any future situations was up for discussion in a Legislature Committee session on Thursday, with Skeena MLA Ellis Ross taking the lead for the opposition Liberal party.

Mr. Ross participated in the afternoon session  of the Committee of Supply on Estimates of the Public Safety And Solicitor General,  with the Skeena MLA seeking some background on the deployment of the RCMP related to the Wet'suwe'ten blockades of earlier this year, as well as to how the province may respond should further civil disruptions take place.

"It's been quite the year, in terms of civil unrest and protest, which actually originated on the LNG Canada pipeline but actually spread all across Canada, in terms of protest. I don't want to get into details of how or who or when. But I do want to get an understanding of future interventions, in terms of blockades on the LNG pipeline, specifically the blockade that was actually cleared out, in terms of Wet'suwet'en. 

 So my question is to the Solicitor General. Is your ministry being kept apprised of the activities there? And is your ministry budgeting and planning for future events where the government may have to go in and help enforce the injunction?"

Towards a reply Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth noted how it has been a challenging year, while noting the arms length approach between the Ministry and the RCMP.

I thank the member for the question. And he's right. It has been a very interesting and challenging year in this regard. I can tell him that we are kept aware of events. When there are protests, we are made aware of that. We are not told about operational decisions. That is up to the police. I do not, as I have said on a number of occasions publicly, direct the RCMP. And when it comes to costs, we don't specifically budget for costs. We are aware that whenever there are events of this nature, there will be costs. We track those costs, and we will continue to do so.

Through the twenty minute exchange Mr. Ross revisited the theme a number of times speaking to  his interest on provincial budgeting towards policing such situations; as well as how concerns over ongoing disruption along the proposed gas pipeline route to Kitimat is making for growing anxiety for those First Nations that have signed onto the LNG Canada agreement.

In terms of future activities, I keep an eye on what's happening up there, because it causes a lot of anxiety for all the First Nations that actually signed on to the LNG Canada agreement in the first place — the 20 First Nations — and because of the anxiety for Kitimat there is in my band. 

So In terms of the activities out there, I'm sure your ministry is kept aware of what's happening out there. 

 I talked to another minister previously about this issue. I actually asked about the smokehouse that was actually built on the right-of-way and whether or not that would be subject to the province intervening again, redeploying the RCMP and covering the costs under the provincial police service agreement. 

The minister actually inferred that it was not actually a blockade, it was not an impediment and there is really no issue with the smokehouse being built where it is. 

Is that the take that the Solicitor General has, as well?

Minister Mike Farnworth faced a range of questions on public
safety and police operations during a committee session on Thursday

The Solicitor General noted for the MLA that enforcement measures are operational matters for the RCMP to decide on.

So, the way it works, Member, is that the court order directed that there be an access made available. The nature of that, or the exact parameters of that, that's decided by the RCMP. 

I do not make a decision on that, nor do I have an opinion on that. That is an operational decision that they make, in terms of regards to the enforcement of that court order.

As his time came to a conclusion in the Thursday session, Mr. Ross recounted some of the frustrations that he has had in getting information and answers to his questions through the Ministerial bureaucracy, making note of vague answers and the play on words that have been used when it comes to providing more background on his concerns.

You can review the full exchange from the Committee session here, as well as to view the proceedings through the Video Archive page from the Legislature,  the contribution from Mr. Ross begins at the start of the session.

For more notes on the work of Mr. Ross at the Legislature see our archive page here.

Province to fund 100 Day Care spaces for Terrace

Some significant support is heading towards the Terrace area, with the Provincial government announcing that it will be providing for 100 Day Care spaces in that community.

The Terrace program will see Coast Mountain School District renovate the former ET Kenney Primary School, creating space for 102 participants, the Centre which is to be operated by Terrace's Coast Mountain Children's Society will open the doors in September of 2021.

Once in operation the new Centre will offer 12 new infant/toddler spaces, 20 spaces for children aged three years to kindergarten, 10 pre-school spaces and 60 school-age spaces.

The centre will use the Indigenous Early Learning Framework, which sets out principles to help ensure that Indigenous children experience high-quality, culturally rooted early learning and child care programming.

Katrine Conroy, the Minister of Children and Family Development made note of the opportunities for the community that the new centre will offer.

“These new spaces in Terrace demonstrate our ongoing commitment to make life better for B.C. families and will allow more parents to return to work, go back to school or pursue other opportunities, strengthening both the community and economy.”

More on the Terrace program can be reviewed here.

In March of this year, Prince Rupert City Council received a report from Alison Watson and Kate delivered the findings of the Prince Rupert Child Care Assessment and Action plan, that document noted that there was an immediate need for 49 spaces in the city, though that was considered to be a Conservative estimate.
Toye who

Among the gaps that the study revealed, was a need for Infant/Toddler care spaces, Flexible programs, Co-location hubs, Awareness of programs/benefits and a review of the barriers that can be found in the community related to staff, zoning issues and capacity.

Some of the background on the long running issues and past reviews related to Child Care in Prince Rupert can be reviewed here.

So far, there have been no announcements of any solutions to address some of those concerns.

For more notes on Provincial programs see our Legislature archive page here.

New Travel measures in place for Alaska transit through BC

No side trips allowed!  Those transiting  to and from Alaska and the lower
48 States now requires just one direct route between borders

As of this morning, those travellers making their way to and from Alaska through British Columbia have some new measures to take note of, with the Canadian Border Service Agency set to enforce new regulations for transit through the province.

The announcement yesterday put in place three condition for that travel to ensure that there are no side trips on the way from points A to B.

Imposed a reasonable period of stay to carry out your transit 

Be required to take the most direct route to your destination and not stop for any leisure or tourism activities including visiting national parks 

Be required to report to the nearest CBSA port of entry to confirm your exit from Canada before entering the United States

Towards those measures, the CBSA will issue visitors a vehicle 'hang tag" which is to be affixed to the rear view mirror of travelling vehicles for the duration of the transit. The tag will include  the date you must depart Canada as well as information on the conditions imposed upon entry, the Quarantine and Emergencies Acts and a list of public health and safety measures to follow.

Travellers are only allowed to make essential stops along the way, including use of facilities, or those for refuelling or essential stops.

The full list of guidelines can be reviewed here.

The new restrictions went into effect as of 12:01 this morning.

American spotting has been greatly reduced in the Northwest ever since
the Alaska Marine Highway System suspended its service to Prince Rupert
in November of last year

While there have been reports of a few American licence plates in the Prince Rupert area this summer, the large volume of years past has not been prevalent owing to the border closure of March.

As well, the Alaska Ferry System has not had a port call in Prince Rupert since November of 2019 and with the situation related to COVID it's not known when or if that service will return to the region.

With the new regulations in place, making use of Highway 37 North to the Yukon and on into Alaska would seem to be off the map for visitors, reinforcing how any side trips to Prince Rupert or elsewhere now against the rules.

North Coast residents are reminded however, that some Americans (and other Canadians) do live in the region and may not have replaced their licence plates to this point, something to keep in mind before being too harsh on the owners of any unusual plates that may be noted.

North Coast MLA Jennifer Rice addressed the theme of non-residential travel in the region earlier this week with a statement to the Legislature.

British Columbia Government announces restriction on non-resident travel to Haida Gwaii

See update at bottom of page

The Provincial government has announced today that travel to Haida Gwaii is now restricted to only residents of the island, the move announced by Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General was released shorty after 4PM and comes as part of the provincial measures to limit the spread of COVID-19 on the Islands.

“The Province, Northern Health and the First Nations Health Authority are working closely with the Haida Nation and local governments on Haida Gwaii to respond to this COVID-19 outbreak. Our foremost concern is the health and safety of all residents of Haida Gwaii, and we’re working together to limit further spread of COVID-19.” -- Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General

While the order does restrict non-residential travel to Haida Gwaii, the measures also include provisions to maintain essential goods and services for residents and come in support of the Haida Nation and the Province's COVID-19 response.

There are currently 20 cases of COVID reported on Haida Gwaii, all of them a community outbreak that came from residents who had travelled and returned to the Islands, or had contact with a resident who had travelled off island.

Today's announcement notes that the decision to restrict non-resident travel to Haida Gwaii has been made in a government-to-government collaboration with Council of the Haida Nation, Skidegate Band Council, Old Massett Village Council and local governments, in consultation with the provincial health officer.

The Province has also advised that it will deploy staff to support communities on the mainland and on Haida Gwaii to implement the travel restriction.

Full details on the provincial restrictions can be reviewed here.

The Council of the Haida Nation welcomed today's announcement, observing how it supports their current COVID response.

“This global health pandemic is a test of reconciliation with the province. It’s critical that we come together at this time of crisis. BC’s order is an important step towards a renewed partnership in emergency management. The province’s work to enact an order that aligns with the Haida Nation’s State of Emergency is a respectful act and recognition of Haida jurisdiction and our responsibility as governments to work together to protect all communities and residents of Haida Gwaii from the threat of COVID-19.” — Gaagwiis Jason Alsop, President of the Haida Nation

More background on the Council of Haida Nation statement can be reviewed here.

More background on the province's COVID measures can be found from our archive page here.

A wider overview of past items from Haida Gwaii is available here.

Update: On Friday it was announced that members of the BC Conservation Officer Service would be stationed at the Prince Rupert Ferry Terminal to enforce the provincial order restricting non-resident travel to Haida Gwaii

29 new cases of COVID reported province wide, but None today for Haida Gwaii or Northern Health region

The long weekend was high on the mind of the Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix, with both reminding British Columbians of the success we have to date and the need to remain vigilant to control any new outbreaks, as well as to continue to work to bend the curve, one which has been showing some inclinations upwards in recent weeks.

As for the Thursday COVID review, the day delivered some positive news for Haida Gwaii, with today's results indicating no new cases from the recent outbreak.

“Today, we are announcing 29 new cases, for a total of 3,591 cases in British Columbia. There are 242 active cases of COVID-19 in the province and 3,155 people who tested positive have recovered. 

Of the total COVID-19 cases, five individuals are hospitalized, two of whom are in intensive care. The remaining people with COVID-19 are recovering at home in self-isolation." 

Provincially the case count in all of the Health Authorities is as follows: 1,076 cases of COVID-19 in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 1,865 in the Fraser Health region, 143 in the Island Health region, 360 in the Interior Health region, 86 in the Northern Health region, the same as yesterday. 

There are also 61 cases of people reported with COVID who reside outside of Canada.

There have been no new COVID-19 related deaths, with the a  provincial total remaining at 194 deaths in British Columbia.

Doctor Henry and the Health Minister also highlighted some welcome news for residents of Haida Gwaii, noting no additional cases were listed today related to the community outbreak outlined last Friday.

“There are no new community outbreaks, with no new cases on Haida Gwaii and 59 cases connected to Fraser Valley Packers Inc. Public health teams continue to support these active outbreaks. 

A reminder that the consumption of fruit from a location where people are confirmed to have COVID-19 is safe. However, people are reminded to always wash fruits and vegetables before consumption. 

There continues to be additional community exposure events throughout the province. A full listing of community exposure events related to flights and others within each health authority is available through the BC Centre for Disease Control, as well as on health authority websites."

The provinces' two top health officials also offered up a new narrative for this BC Day weekend, with residents asked to continue with the work required to Bend the Curve, as they enjoy the long weekend ahead.

“It is easy to socialize safely and that’s what we all need to do this B.C. Day weekend. To do this, let’s keep our groups small and keep a safe distance from others, no matter where we may be. 

The actions you take make a difference, so let’s make this holiday a different holiday than what we saw in early July. What you do today and this weekend will determine what we are able to do in the weeks ahead – so let’s all do the right thing.”

The full statement for Thursday can be explored here. 

The BC Centre for Disease control has some valuable Coronavirus notes related to COVID-19 you can explore that information here.

You can learn more about the outbreak from both the Province and the Federal government from the links below:

Federal Government site

British Columbia Government site

The World Health Organization website also offers up the latest advisories on the global situation.

More from  Northern Health can be reviewed here 

You can review our archive of past statements and local information here.

Local governments and organizations have also provided for increased awareness of COVID-19 issues, the string of statements that came quickly at the end of the week can be reviewed here.

For notes from across Canada and British Columbia we have been archiving the latest items through our political portal Darcy McGee

Ottawa Observations

Victoria Viewpoints

BC Government returns some Local Emergency Authority to municipalities ... but with conditions

The Province of British Columbia has rescinded some of its past measures
on Local States of Emergency; however any municipal COVID
 related measures will still require the approval of the BC Government
(Photo from City of PR)

Some past measures put in place to restrict Local municipal governments on Emergency authority have been rescinded by the provincial government today; with Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth outlining some of the moves as the BC government moves forward with the Restart BC program.

As part of today's announcement Mr. Farnworth announced that the government was rescinding a provision that set aside declarations of local states of emergency made on or before March 26, 2020.

However there is a caveat for municipal governments such as the City of Prince Rupert to take note of, with Local authorities still required to seek approval from the Province before making a new declaration of a state of local emergency, or using any extraordinary powers in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Local authorities will however now have no restrictions on their ability to enact states of local emergency or use of extraordinary powers as they relate to other issues such as floods and fires.

Prince Rupert Mayor Lee Brain

The suspension of the municipal Local States of Emergency was a flash point between the City of Prince Rupert and the province back in March.

At the time, many of the City's wide ranging and somewhat controversial plans towards a COVID response, were for the most part quashed by the province's moves to enact its own State of Emergency Orders.

March 26 -- Prince Rupert Mayor takes issue with Provincial order to suspend Local State of Emergency
March 26 -- City of Prince Rupert closes Emergency Operations Centre, suspends Local State of Emergency
March 26 -- Province of British Columbia suspends all Local States of Emergency; introduces range of new measures under Provincial State of Emergency
March 24 -- City of Prince Rupert issues first of two orders under Local State of Emergency
March 24 -- Six who said Aye ... Council members statements of the declaration of a Local State of Emergency in Prince Rupert
March 23 -- State of Local Emergency declared in Prince Rupert ... details to follow sometime this week

The provincial move from March continues to serve as a bit of a narrative for Prince Rupert City Council, with some city councillors making note of their frustrations from it over the last few months in council sessions.

July 23 -- COVID concerns still on the minds of Prince Rupert City Council
April 30 -- Lingering disappointment and bitterness mark Council's comments over quashed Local State of Emergency

Today's announcement will mean that the City would still require approval from the Province should they wish to revisit their list of measures that they had in mind from March.

You can review more on today's announcement from this statement from Minister Farnworth.

For more notes related to Prince Rupert Council see our archive page here.   

Provincial Emergency Order instructs BC Ferries to provide assured loading for medical patients

Medical patients travelling to Prince Rupert or Terrace from Haida Gwaii
or the Central Coast will be guaranteed priority boarding on the
first available BC Ferry following a new emergency order from the BC Government today

Travellers using BC Ferries vessels to get to medical appointments have been given the assurance that they will be assured loading on the first available vessel, with Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth outlining the details today from Victoria.

“As the Province’s safe restart plan continues and use of ferry services increases, we are updating ministerial orders under the Emergency Program Act. These new provisions will ensure that medical-assured loading is protected for people travelling by ferry for medical treatment. BC Ferries will also continue to give priority to vehicles carrying essential goods and supplies, and will need to consult the Province before changing or varying minimum ferry service levels.”

To access the priority loading process, passengers will be required to provide a doctor's letter that indicates that the individual requires medical assured loading at check in, as well, passengers/patients will be required to complete the Travel Assistance Program form.

The doctor’s letter does not require a specific date or time, or number of occasions the person travelling requires medical-assured loading to receive medical treatment, but may specify a period of time of up to one year from the date of the letter within which the individual requires medical-assured loading.

The Minister also announced that the province had rescinded some other COVID related measures, including priority access for those sailing to their primary residence,  the need for local authorities to implement an emergency plan and to rescind the setting aside of any Local Emergency declarations by local government, but only for emergencies outside of the scope of COVID.

More on today's announcement can be explored here.

For more notes related to Provincial Government initiatives see our archive page here.

With refit looming for Spirit of Lax Kw'alaams, Band Council prepares to launch water taxi/barge service to community

The Spirit of Lax Kw'alaams heads for its refit and maintenance
in late August with a barge/water taxi service to take up the
transit for residents between Lax Kw'alaams and Prince Rupert

Travellers looking to transit to and from the First Nation community of Lax Kw'alaams will be making use of two alternative modes of transportation starting at the end of August, as the Community Ferry Spirit of Lax Kw'alaams heads south for its  fourth year cycle of maintenance and refit.

The process which takes place every four years is set for August 25th to October 25th and with the departure of the Spirit of Lax Kw'alaams for points south, the Band Council will put in place a combination of water taxi and barge service to transit people from the community to and from Prince Rupert.

In a notice to residents issued yesterday, the Band Council took note of the impact of the loss of the ferry for the three month period and released the schedule for the alternative service

"We recognize the challenges when using other vessels to replace our ferry services, please understand that during this time there will be limited opportunity for “normal” travel. 

We encourage all to plan ahead and be mindful of the limited passenger and vehicle capacities for this short time. 

This also serves and a reminder that the COVID-19 pandemic is still active and non-essential travel is not encouraged."

The schedule for the water taxi/barge system is as follows:

The schedule for Barge and Water Taxi service to and from
Lax Kw'alaams which goes into effect in lat August
(click to enlarge)

Those who make use of the transportation system are asked to use normal booking procedures (250-625-2445), check in 20 mins prior to sailings; and follow all COVID precautions on these service provider vessels.

While the Spirit of Lax Kw'alaams heads in for refit, some in the community are wondering what the status is of a replacement ferry for the community something that has long been on the wish list for past Band Councils.

That initiative to replace the ferry was noted back in the summer of 2016, the last time that the Spirit of Lax Kw'alaams went in for its four year refit cycle.,

Talks were said to be underway at that time with the then Liberal government of Christy Clark.

Last November in a community newsletter from then Mayor John Helin, it was announced that the Band council had secured a commitment from the Province for a new ferry

The last update on the prospect of a replacement for the Spirit of Lax Kw'alaams
Ferry came from former Mayor John Helin prior to last falls election

However, updates on the progress  towards a replacement vessel for the community have been few and far between since the changeover in government from the 2019 election.

The Spirit of Lax Kw'alaams which was once the MV Nicola, dates back to service in the early 1960's when it was part of the BC Ferries fleet.

Also of note for Lax Kw'alaams travellers is an employment opportunity notice posted to the Lax Kw'alaams Band website seeking  the services of a pair of licensed practical nurses to be used as part of the Band Council's COVID screening measures.

You can learn more about that initiative here.

As we outlined on Tuesday, Lax Kw'alaams has initiated a number of health related measures and issued new advisories for residents following an outbreak of the coronavirus on Haida Gwaii

For more items of interest from Lax Kw'alaams see our archive page here.

Plans in motion for Coast Guard Base Float replacement project in Prince Rupert

It's a green light for new floats
for the Seal Cove Coast Guard base

The Canadian Coast Guard is making progress on its plan towards replacing the aging concrete floats located at the Seal Cove Base,  with the proposed project looking to replace five of the existing floats that moor lifeboats and SAR vessels stationed in Prince Rupert.

The scope of the project which has been listed at Impact Assessment Agency of Canada notes that when completed the floats will provide for an increase of 81 square metres.

The comment period for review of potential adverse effects recently came to a close, with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada having reviewed the commentary and now having determined that the project is not likely to cause any impact.

The details from those findings can be reviewed here.

There is no timeline listed as to when the work is anticipated to be completed, though the project notes indicate July 2020 to February 2021 as window for the progress of the float replacement.

You can review the full scope of the work ahead here.

More items of interest from the Federal government can be explored here, while the work of Northwest emergency responders can be reviewed here.

Vancouver's YVR launches new health measure for travellers

The next time you make the journey northwest by air from Vancouver to Prince Rupert you will encounter some new health measures in place at YVR, as the Vancouver airport hub for Western Canada introduces a range of travel requirements to go with those existing measures put in placer earlier this Spring.

The newest addition to the already established protocols went into effect today and will see mandatory temperature screening for all outbound passengers that arrive at YVR, the temperature check to take place at the screening checkpoints in the main terminal location.

In recent days there has been a uptick in the number of passengers travelling through YVR that have been identified with COVID, those flights of note are listed on the BC CDC website here.

The new measure compliments a range of other measures already in place as YVR's response to COVID 19, you can review the full list here.

More on what YVR calls their TAKEcare program can be explored here.



The latest add on to the health requirements comes as the volume of passengers to the Prince Rupert and Terrace area airports begins to increase.

At the recent Prince Rupert City Council Session, the city's Chief Financial Officer noted that while still below past levels, there has been some indication that the passenger levels are increasing for the city's only Air Canada flight of the day.

In late June, we outlined the steps that the Prince Rupert airport had put in place towards COVID locally.

For more notes on air travel in the Northwest see our archive page here.

City of Prince Rupert to reopen Fitness Centre at Earl Mah Aquatic Centre

The City of Prince Rupert will be reopening the Fitness Gym located
in the Earl Mah Aquatic Centre next week on an appointment only basis

Prince Rupert residents will soon be able to work out again at the civic run Fitness Centre, with the city's Recreation Department announcing that the facility located on the mezzanine of the Earl Mah Aquatic Centre will be made available on an appointment basis.

The Fitness Gym reopens August 4th, though with a few new regulations in place:

Only three people will be allowed in the fitness area at a time

No Drop in Use - by appointment only

One hour bookings per appointment, with equipment to be disinfected in between bookings.

As they re-open the Fitness Centre it will be with limited hours to start, Open Monday to Friday, staring at 8:30 to 5:15 PM each day.

To make an appointment to register for a time call the Recreation Centre at 250-624-6707

Wednesday's announcement, which you can review here, did not mention any progress towards reopening the larger Jim Ciccone Civic Centre or when the Earl Mah Aquatic Centre may be reopened for use.

The timeline for the city's recreation facilities has on occasion be a theme at Prince Rupert City Council, but has not been discussed by the city's councillors in recent sessions.

You can review those topics that have been explored from our Council archive page here.

Funding to fight racism to be shared by northern organizations

The province of British Columbia is stepping up its efforts to take on hate and racism, providing a total of 75,000 dollars to be shared by nine northern British Columbia organizations, allowing them to continue on with their established programs and partnerships.

The announcement made earlier this week will see the funding delivered through the Resilience BC program, with the participating local programs selected after a competitive procurement process, with the successful organizations having demonstrated a strong understanding of racism and hate issues.

North Coast MLA Jennifer Rice hailed the diversity and multiculturalism that enriches British Columbia communities and how the funding will go towards an effective approach to address the issues across the province.

“The fight against racism in B.C. is urgent. We all have to make sure that no one has to endure racism or discrimination where they live. Together we must uphold the diversity and multiculturalism that makes our communities richer, healthier and better connected. Resilience BC supports groups operating within their own communities and areas of expertise, supported by the expertise of other organizations. This will empower B.C. communities to fight racism in ways that are most effective for them.”

Among the nine organizations selected for this round of funding was North Coast Immigrant and Multicultural Services Society in Prince Rupert, the local agency has been active in a number of areas towards bringing members of the community together.

More on their work can be found from their Facebook page.

The other communities to receive funding include Kitimat, Smithers, Terrace, Houston Vanderhoof, Prince George, Chetwynd, Dawson Creek and Fort St. John.

Resilience BC which will administer the funding release has recently updated its online portal to offer service in 12 languages, you can learn more about what it has to offer here.

More background on the funding program can be explored here.

For further notes of interest from the Legislature see our archive page here.

41 new cases, six of them from the Haida Gwaii outbreak mark the notes from Wednesday's COVID review

Community outbreaks continued to dominate some of the discussion on COVID in British Columbia, with Northern Health updating the situation on Haida Gwaii prior to the provincial update today.

In addition to the Haida Gwaii outbreak, Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix also had notes on a Fraser Valley outbreak and an appeal to those who attended a Kelowna club to be aware of a report of COVID from that establishment.

"Today, we are announcing 41 new cases for a total of 3,562 cases in British Columbia. This includes a data correction from yesterday. 

There are 259 active cases of COVID-19 in the province and 3,109 people who tested positive have recovered. 

Of the total COVID-19 cases, six individuals are hospitalized, two of whom are in intensive care. The remaining people with COVID-19 are recovering at home in self-isolation." 

Across the five Health authorities the totals to date include: 1,071 cases of COVID-19 in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 1,846 in the Fraser Health region, 143 in the Island Health region, 356 in the Interior Health region, 86 in the Northern Health region (and increase of six from yesterday all of them on Haida Gwaii) 

There are also 60 cases of people who reside outside of Canada.

There were no new COVID-19 related deaths relayed today, which makes for a total of 194 deaths in British Columbia.

Dr. Henry and Minister Dix also provided an update on the two Community outbreaks of note, speaking to the situation on Haida Gwaii and one related to the Fraser Valley Packers plant, as well as to the issuance of an alert related to a Kelowna club.

“There are no new community outbreaks. Currently, there are 20 cases on Haida Gwaii and 31 cases connected to Fraser Valley Packers Inc. Public health teams continue to support these active outbreaks. Of note, there are no health concerns related to the consumption of fruit from Fraser Valley Packers Inc. However, people are reminded to always wash fruit and vegetables before eating them. 

There continues to be additional community exposure events throughout the province. An alert has been issued for Liquid Zoo in Kelowna. Anyone who may have been at the night club from July 15 to 18 is asked to monitor themselves closely, limit their contact with others and contact 811 to get tested, if symptoms develop. 

A full listing of community exposure events related to flights and others within each health authority is available through the BC Centre for Disease Control, as well as on health authority websites."

The full statement for Wednesday can be explored here.

The BC Centre for Disease control has some valuable Coronavirus notes related to COVID-19 you can explore that information here.

You can learn more about the outbreak from both the Province and the Federal government from the links below:

Federal Government site

British Columbia Government site

The World Health Organization website also offers up the latest advisories on the global situation.

More from  Northern Health can be reviewed here 

You can review our archive of past statements and local information here.

Local governments and organizations have also provided for increased awareness of COVID-19 issues, the string of statements that came quickly at the end of the week can be reviewed here.

For notes from across Canada and British Columbia we have been archiving the latest items through our political portal Darcy McGee

Ottawa Observations

Victoria Viewpoints