B.C.’s state of emergency due to pandemic extended again

The longest state of emergency in B.C.’s history has been extended another two weeks until Aug. 18. It was first declared on March 17.

"In recent weeks, British Columbians have been reminded that COVID-19 case counts can easily rise if we're not careful," Premier John Horgan said in a news release.

"As we continue our slow and safe approach to Phase 3, extending the provincial state of emergency will continue to provide government with the resources we need to respond to any new challenges. This is not the time to let our guard down."

The state of emergency allows the province to continue with COVID-19 controls on a provincewide basis.

During the 2017 wildfire season there was a state of emergency for 10 weeks from July 7 to Sept. 15.


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Rob Munro

Rob Munro

Rob Munro has a long history in journalism after starting an underground newspaper in Whitehorse called the Yukon Howl in 1980. He spent five years at the 100 Mile Free Press, starting in the darkroom, moving on to sports and news reporting before becoming the advertising manager. He came to Kelowna in 1989 as a reporter for the Kelowna Daily Courier, and spent the 1990s mostly covering city hall. For most of the past 20 years he worked full time for the union representing newspaper workers throughout B.C. He’s returned to his true love of being a reporter with a special focus on civic politics