City-owned buildings may be pressed into service for COVID-19

It came as no surprise to some city officials when the province said that municipal buildings may be seconded to help deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.

That announcement was made earlier today, March 26, by Premier John Horgan and Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth as part of a wide-ranging expansion of powers the province holds under the current state of emergency.

“This isn’t at all surprising to us,” Lance Kayfish, the City of Kelowna’s risk manager, told iNFOnews.ca. “One of the basic authorities under a state of emergency – provincially, federally, locally – is the ability to commandeer or to make use of facilities – both public and private, by the way – so that’s something that we’re well aware could be asked of us.”

Usually public buildings are taken first so the city has already compiled a list of buildings and what services they are suitable for, if the province asks.

In a news release, the province only mentioned community centres but any buildings, even hockey arenas that are city owned, could be commandeered.

The suggested uses in the release include self-isolation, testing, medical care, warehousing and distribution.

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