It’s too early to say if the change to B.C.’s public health orders coming on Friday will benefit local businesses, according to Prince George Chamber of Commerce CEO Todd Corrigall.
On Tuesday, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced that patrons entering restaurants and other venues won’t need to show their BC Vaccine Card as of Friday. Likewise, B.C. businesses will move from operating under COVID-19 Safety Plans to WorkSafeBC’s communicable disease guidance.
As of the end of March, roughly 12 per cent of adult population in the Prince George local health area weren’t fully vaccinated, according to B.C. Centre for Disease Control data. That could mean an increase in customers who previously weren’t allowed into restaurants and bars, but allowing the unvaccinated in could drive customers worried about possible exposure away.
“We don’t know what we don’t know,” Corrigall said. “We won’t know until we’re in it.”
Corrigall said it will be interesting to see which local businesses, if any, decide to continue to require proof of vaccination to enter. Under the new rules, which come into effect a minute after midnight, businesses and event organizers still have the right to require proof of vaccination.
Proof of vaccination is still required for air travel or other federally-regulated travel.
Corrigall said he was glad to see the province followed through with the timeline it announced on March 10, when it announced the end of the provincial mask mandate and other measures.
“I think two years-plus later, lesson learned. It gave people appropriate time to prepare for what is coming,” he said. “It’s certainly nice for a business to be able to properly staff and change their internal procedures.”
Corrigall said he and many business owners have been left wondering exactly what the change from businesses being required to have a COVID-19 Safety Plan to operating under the communicable disease guidance means.
A communicable disease prevention guide for employers can be found on the WorkSafeBC website at https://www.worksafebc.com/en/resources/health-safety/books-guides/communicable-disease-prevention-guide-employers?lang=en.
“It seems to grant a great deal of autonomy, but also a great deal of uncertainty,” he said. “These are all first-time things. Who has ever operated under a communication disease prevention plan before?”
Corrigall said the chamber will continue to pay attention to the situation, so it can help support its members to adapt to whatever challenges the future with COVID-19 holds. The chamber is taking an optimistic, but pragmatic outlook to the situation, he added.
“This is one of those cases where you hope for the best and plan for the worst.”
‘WE’LL BE WELCOMING THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY BACK'
Downtown business owner Eoin Foley said customers will notice a couple changes at his businesses on Friday. Foley is co-owner of downtown eateries Nancy O’s and Betulla Burning, and the Birch and Boar food store.
“For tomorrow… it opens us up to the roughly 10 per cent of folks who have chosen not to get vaccinated. We’ll be welcoming the entire community back,” he said in an interview on Thursday. “It won’t directly equate to a bump in business in the amount of folks who have chosen not to be vaccinated. I know, from talking to customers, that some may be a less inclined to come out for the first little while, at least.”
The move from a COVID-19 Safety Plan to a communicable disease plan won’t result in a lot of changes visible to customers, he said. Most of the plexiglass barriers in place at the three businesses will be staying up for now.
Schedules for hand sanitizing, cleaning high-touch surfaces and other sanitation and cleaning measures will stay in place. He said he doesn’t expect to see hand sanitizing stations going away anytime soon.
“For the last month or so, since the mask mandate came off, we’ve asked our staff to mask up, just though this transition period,” Foley said. “As of tomorrow, we’ve let our staff make the choice for themselves to wear a mask or not. I’d just say to any customers, at our businesses or any others, to respect staff’s choices, and the choice of other customers, to wear a mask.”
CHANGES COMING FOR CITY FACILITIES
Starting on Friday, visitors to the CN Centre, Prince George Aquatic Centre and other civic facilities will not be required to show their BC Vaccine Card, a spokesperson for the city said in an email.
“Occupancy limits for meeting rooms and other common spaces (such as at the P.G. Conference and Civic Centre) will be removed. However, we suggest that guests and staff maintain physical distancing whenever possible,” the spokesperson said. “The city requests that all visitors respect each other’s personal choice to wear or not to wear a mask at city facilities.”
