Timeline: B.C.’s restart plan

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Life in B.C. is starting on a new road to recovery with a four-stage plan, ending with everything pretty much as we knew it by September.

On June 15, we entered step 2 of the four-step plan.

Here, you will find a breakdown of the gradual changes, first by date and then broken down by category:

Summary timeline by date

Step 1: May 25

Prerequisite: 60 per cent of adult population with Dose 1, COVID-19 cases stable, hospitalizations stable

• Masks mandatory in indoor, public spaces
• Physical distancing required
• If sick, get tested and stay home
• Maximum of five visitors or one household allowed for indoor, personal gatherings
• Maximum of 10 people for outdoor personal gatherings
• Maximum of 50 people for seated outdoor organized gatherings with safety protocols
• Recreational travel only within travel zone (travel restrictions extended)
• Indoor and outdoor dining for up to six people, with safety protocols
• Resume outdoor sports games and practices with no spectators, low-intensity fitness with safety protocols
• Start gradual return to workplaces
• Province-wide mask mandate, business safety protocols, and physical distancing measures remain in place
• Return of indoor in-person faith-based gatherings at a reduced capacity, based on consultation with public health

Step 2: Mid-June (June 15)

Prerequisite: 65 per cent of adult population with Dose 1, cases declining, COVID-19 hospitalizations declining

• Masks mandatory in indoor, public spaces
• Physical distancing required
• If sick, get tested and stay home
• Maximum of 50 people for outdoor social gatherings
• Maximum of 50 people for seated indoor organized gatherings (examples: 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

Related article: B.C. to allow larger gatherings, no more provincial travel restrictions Tuesday

Step 3: Early July (July 1 earliest date)

Prerequisite: 70 per cent of adult population with Dose 1, cases low, COVID-19 hospitalizations declining

• Masks recommended
• Careful social contact
• If sick, get tested and stay home
• 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 reopened 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)

Prerequisite: More than 70 per cent of adult population with Dose 1, cases low and stable (contained clusters), COVID-19 hospitalizations low

• Masks a personal choice
• Normal social contact
• If sick, get tested and stay home
• 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

Summary changes by category

Public health guidance:

May 25: 

• Masks mandatory in indoor public spaces
• Physical distancing
• If sick, get tested and stay home

June 15:

• Masks mandatory in indoor public spaces
• Physical distancing
• If sick, get tested and stay home

July 1 (earliest date):

• Masks recommended
• Careful social contact
• If sick, get tested and stay home

Sept. 7 (earliest date):

• Masks a personal choice
• Normal social contact
• If sick, get tested and stay home

Personal gatherings:

May 25:

• Outdoor personal gatherings of up to 10 people
• Indoor personal gatherings of up to five visitors
• Example: host a small dinner party

June 15:

• Outdoor personal gatherings of up to 50 people
• Indoor personal gatherings of up to five visitors or one household
• Playdates
• Example: Attend an outdoor block party

July 1 (earliest date):

• Return to usual for indoor or outdoor personal gatherings
• Sleepovers
• Example: Attend a family reunion

Sept. 7 (earliest date):

• Normal social contact
• Example: Throw a Halloween party

Organized gatherings:

May 25:

• Indoor seated organized gatherings of up to 10 people with safety protocols
• Outdoor seated organized gatherings of up to 50 people with safety protocols
• Return of indoor in-person faith-based gatherings at a reduced capacity, based on consultation with public health
• Example: Attend a small outdoor wedding ceremony

June 15:

• Indoor seated organized gatherings of up to 50 people with safety protocols
• Example: Go to a movie

July 1 (earliest date):

• Increased capacity for indoor and outdoor organized gatherings with safety protocols
• Nightclubs and casinos re-opening
• Fairs and festivals allowed with safety protocols
• Example: Meet friends at a summer fair

Sept. 7 (earliest date):

• Increased capacity on large organized gatherings
• Example: Go to a concert

Travel:

May 25:

• Recreational travel within your travel zone
• Ban on non-essential travel between zones
• Example: Go camping within your travel zone

June 15:

• B.C. recreational travel
• Provincial travel restrictions lifted
• Example: Go on vacation to a B.C. resort

July 1 (earliest date):

• Canada recreational travel
• Examples: Host friends or family visiting from out of province, visit friends or family outside B.C.

Sept. 7 (earliest date):

• Canada recreational travel
• Examples: Host friends or family visiting from out of province, visit friends or family outside B.C.

 

Sports and Activities:

May 25:

• Low-intensity indoor fitness classes with limited capacity
• Outdoor local team games and practices for all ages, no spectators allowed
• Example: Pilates class

June 15:

• High-intensity indoor fitness classes with limited capacity
• Indoor team games and practices for all ages, no spectators allowed
• Maximum 50 spectators for outdoor games and practices
• Example: Watch your kid’s soccer game

July 1 (earliest date):

• All indoor fitness classes with increased capacity
• Limited numbers of indoor spectators
• Example: A drop-in fitness class

Sept. 7 (earliest date):

• Increased outdoor spectators
• Increased indoor spectators
• Return of normal sport competitions with safety protocols
• Example: Sit in the stands and watch your team play

 

 

Businesses:

May 25:

• Indoor and outdoor dining for up to six people seated together
• Liquor served until 10 p.m.
• WorkSafeBC COVID-19 safety protocols unchanged
• Example: Go out for dinner with a small group of friends

June 15:

• Liquor served until midnight
• Banquet halls re-open with limited capacity and safety protocols
• Example: Go out for dinner with a small group of friends, stay out and enjoy alcoholic beverages later

July 1 (earliest date):

• Indoor and outdoor dining with no group size limit
• Liquor service restrictions lifted
• Bingo halls, casinos, nightclubs re-open with limited capacity
• Safety protocols remain in place
• Example: Go any direction down grocery store aisles

Sept. 7 (earliest date):

• Continue to operate based on new safety plans
• Example: Go dancing with friends

 

Office and Workplaces:

May 25:

• Work from home guidance lifted
• Start gradual return to offices and workplaces
• Existing Safety plans remain in place
• Example: Work in the office a few days per week

June 15:

• Continue return to work
• Small in-person meetings
• Example: See more co-workers

July 1 (earliest date):

• Seminars and bigger meetings
• Operate based on new safety plans
• Example: Go to a group meeting outside the office

Sept. 7 (earliest date):

• Fully re-opened offices and workplaces
• Plan an office holiday party