As the province prepares to ease some COVID-19 restrictions on Tuesday, the Premier doesn’t want people to believe that things will return to normal that day.
John Horgan says he also doesn’t want to rush WorkSafeBC into doing an unsatisfactory job as people grow concerned that they haven’t seen any guidelines on how they’ll be allowed to open just yet.
“We are going to start the process to bring back industries that were ordered shut by Dr. [Bonnie] Henry, and she will be revising her orders at the appropriate time,” Horgan said on Wednesday.
“We’re doing our level best to make sure that we are keeping people safe, making sure that we are building the confidence that we need to get us back to what will be the new normal.”
Horgan adds while businesses will be allowed to re-open on May 19, it does not mean that every hair stylist, restaurant or other business will open at the ‘flick of a switch’ that day.
“It’s when we start that process,” Horgan added. “WorkSafeBC and the Public Health Office will have guidelines later in the week, or perhaps even into early next week. They’ve been working on this for a number of weeks.”
“I respect and understand the anxiety that people are feeling whether its about a return to work, whether its about an opening up of the economy, whether its about more people travelling within British Columbia. But I said very clearly last week that we are beginning Phase 2 of the restart [on Tuesday.]”
Kamloops-North Thompson Liberal MLA Peter Milobar told NL News that when the premier announced that WorkSafeBC was being roped into the process, it took everyone by surprise, including WorkSafeBC.
“How does the Premier think people are going to magically get their businesses ready to operate safely if they don’t know what the rules are until Wednesday or Thursday of next week?” Milobar said on NL Newsday.
Milobar says many businesses also have questions on how they’ll be able to get their hands on sufficient amounts of personal protective equipment to allow them to reopen.
Meanwhile, speaking on Thursday, Dr. Henry says heading into the May long weekend, it will take the next 14 to 21 days to understand how the restart program is working. She says the province won’t move to Phase 3 until it is confident there hasn’t been a large increase in the number of cases as a result of Phase 2 measures.
“And part of our role in public health will be monitoring the number of new cases and, in particular, numbers that aren’t linked to known cases or outbreaks in our communities,” Henry said. “And that will be very important.”
The province has already extended the State of Emergency for a fourth time this week, and has urged people to avoid non-essential travel and to limit the number of people that are added to your bubble.
Has @WorkSafeBC been handed an impossible timeline by @HarryBainsSN & @jjhorgan? With only a few days to go and a long weekend in the middle, businesses who wanted to open Tuesday are waiting on industry specific guidance from WCB, and very limited ability to acquire PPE. #bcpoli
— Brett Mineer (@MineerBrett) May 14, 2020
When @WorkSafeBC posts the Phase 2 guidance for businesses hoping to re-start – it will be posted here: https://t.co/YtAhRFZt76 #Kamloops #bcpoli #COVID19BC
— Brett Mineer (@MineerBrett) May 14, 2020
