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Two more weeks added to COVID-19 state of emergency in B.C.

Premier John Horgan also says some MLAs will return to the legislature in June
Kyle Balzer
Kyle Balzer
premier-john-horgan-bc-may-20-2020
Premier John Horgan provides an update on the provincial response to COVID-19 on May 20, 2020. (via Flickr/Province of B.C.)

Premier John Horgan has announced another extension to B.C.'s state of emergency with "no likely end in sight."

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the province will see two more weeks of the order, now scheduled to end on June 10.

With B.C.'s restart plan in effect and Phase 3 set to start June 1, the premier says it's important to not lose sight on how to stay safe moving forward.

"We don't want to give up the grounded that we have made collectively and as individuals," said Horgan during a news conference today (May 27), adding that the current state of emergency, put in place 10 weeks ago to contain the spread of the virus, is now the longest one that has ever been in place in B.C.

He also says three provincial political parties have agreed to have MLAs return to the Victoria legislature on Monday, June 22.

Horgan says some will be able to attend cabinet meetings in person while others will tune in via online services.

The premier also fielded questions from reporters on concerns that professional hockey is being chased out of B.C. by regulations on this side of the border that requires anyone crossing a border to isolate for 14 days, as well as the restrictions on large gatherings and sporting events.

The Vancouver Canucks are said to be considering having their training camps in the U.S. due to restrictions on cross border travel.

"Minister Lisa Beare (Tourism, Arts and Culture) has been working with the Canucks, focusing on how we can get hockey back into the arena and downtown Vancouver and get hockey on the television screens," Horgan said. "But we will not waive the rules of Canada, which is you require a 14-day isolation period when you're coming into the country.

"Although, as I understand it, the NHL is looking at resuming play in the middle of July, in COVID years, that's a thousand years from now.

"The rules are in place -- they're national rules that we fought hard to have put in place. I'm not going to ask for those to be bent today on the prospect of games potentially being played eight weeks from now.

"Two weeks from now, four weeks from now, could be a completely different situation provided we continue to see the progress we've seen here in British Columbia."

There are also questions about whether the BC Lions will be able to play games in B.C., should the Canadian Football League be able to have a limited season starting in the fall.

"I'd love to see the Lions have a season this year," Horgan said, but said its still not clear whether large gatherings like football games will be able to be held safely by fall.

- with files from Nelson Bennett, Business In Vancouver