Victoria – Circuit Breaker restrictions will be lifted, but not everything opens at once. The stages roll through May 25 to September 7. With more than 60% of adults vaccinated with their first dose and COVID-19 case counts and hospitalizations steadily declining, BC is moving forward with the cautious first step of a four-step plan for a careful and safe restart.
Vaccination coverage is essential.
Keep the masks on.
Limited indoor dining and small home gatherings return.
Youth sports and adult recreation sports are back to playing their games, Outdoors.
Indoor faith based gatherings will come back on a limited scale.
Travel restrictions in BC are still in place. You cannot travel for recreational reasons outside of your health region.
International Travel depends upon Ottawa’s final decisions. That includes the US border.
Nightclubs and Casinos will reopen over the next few weeks (July target).
It breaks down to these stages:
Step 1: May 25
- 60% of adult population with Dose 1
- COVID-19 cases stable, hospitalizations stable
- Maximum of five visitors or one household allowed for indoor personal gatherings
- Maximum of 10 people for outdoor personal gatherings
- Maximum of 10 people for seated indoor organized gatherings with safety protocols
- Maximum of 50 people for seated outdoor organized gatherings with safety protocols
- Recreational travel only within travel region (travel restrictions extended)
- Indoor and outdoor dining for up to six people with safety protocols
- Resume outdoor sports (games) with no spectators, low-intensity fitness with safety protocols
- Start gradual return to workplaces
- Provincewide mask mandate, business safety protocols and physical distancing measures remain in place
- Return of indoor in-person faith-based gatherings (reduced capacity) based on consultation with public health
Step 2: Mid-June (June 15 – earliest date)
- 65% of adult population with Dose 1
- Cases declining, COVID-19 hospitalizations declining
- Maximum of 50 people for outdoor social gatherings
- Maximum of 50 people for seated indoor organized gatherings (banquet halls, movie theatres, live theatre) with safety protocols
- Consultation process to prepare for larger indoor and outdoor gatherings with safety protocols
- No B.C. travel restrictions – check local travel advisories
- Indoor sports (games) and high-intensity fitness with safety protocols
- Spectators for outdoor sports (50 maximum)
- Provincewide mask mandate, business safety protocols and physical distancing measures remain in place
Step 3: Early July (July 1 – earliest date)
- 70% of adult population with Dose 1
- Cases low, COVID-19 hospitalizations declining
- Provincial state of emergency and public health emergency lifted
- Returning to usual for indoor and outdoor personal gatherings
- Increased capacity for indoor and outdoor organized gatherings, with safety plans
- Nightclubs and casinos reopen with capacity limits and safety plans
- New public health and workplace guidance around personal protective equipment, physical distancing and business protocols
Step 4: Early September (Sept. 7 – earliest date)
- More than 70% of adult population with Dose 1
- Cases low and stable (contained clusters), COVID-19 hospitalizations low
- Returning to normal social contact
- Increased capacity at larger organized gatherings
- No limits on indoor and outdoor spectators at sports
- Businesses operating with new safety plans
For Step 1 and Step 2, restaurants, bars and pubs, as well as indoor fitness facilities, are to return to the existing safety protocols that were in place prior to the circuit breaker restrictions. For other sectors, existing safety protocols remain in place for Step 1 and Step 2, including existing safety protocols at schools and daycares. In Step 1, hotels and other accommodation providers are encouraged to welcome guests from inside their region. In Step 2, the invitation can be extended to guests from throughout the province.
Prior to steps 3 and 4, sector associations will work with public health and WorkSafeBC to update sector guidelines to meet updated public health guidance.
All updated workplace safety plans should be ready by July 1 prior to shifting into Step 3. These plans will be based on updated sector guidelines.
