A record breaking provincial state of emergency in British Columbia is being extended once again.
Premier John Horgan says the provincial state of emergency will be in place until at least June 23, although he previously noted the emergency brought on by COVID-19 has ‘no likely end in sight’.
“This is part and parcel of our making sure that we are putting public safety first, putting us in a position to better manage any challenges that may emerge, and I’m confident that as the summer proceeds we’ll see less and less requirement for the state of emergency,” Horgan said.
“We are coming out of the flood season and looking squarely in the face of fire season, so we’ll see how that unfolds.”
He added that while the economy gradually reopens, a number of people, businesses, and communities still need a helping hand, something he notes is possible with the extension. The state of emergency has be extended every two weeks, and it gives the province extra powers to accumulate resources or control supply chains.
The current state of emergency – now twelve weeks long – is the longest in B.C.’s history, beating the old record of 10 weeks set during the 2017 wildfire season.
B.C. first declared a state of emergency because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on March 18.
In response to the #COVID19 pandemic, #BC has extended the current Provincial State of Emergency to June 23, 2020.
For medical information follow @CDCofBC
or visit https://t.co/UnCdZmNGE5. For non-medical information visit https://t.co/6hwLL4rgZW. #COVIDBC pic.twitter.com/lNfCSkZnIU— Emergency Info BC (@EmergencyInfoBC) June 10, 2020
