Timeline: B.C.’s restart plan
Life in B.C. is starting on a new road to reopening with a 4-stage plan ending with life pretty much as we knew it by September. Liza Yuzda reports first we're going back to where we were a few months ago. Then mid-June to July changes really ramp up.
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:
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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
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- 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
(Courtesy: B.C. government)
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
(Courtesy: B.C. government)
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
(Courtesy: B.C. government)
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.
(Courtesy: B.C. government)
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
(Courtesy: B.C. government)
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
(Courtesy: B.C. government)
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
(Courtesy: B.C. government)
