VICTORIA — After announcing the B.C. government was looking into a possible inter-provincial travel ban, Premier John Horgan has released a statement indicating the province will not be pursuing this measure.
“We’ve heard from many people who are worried travel from outside B.C. has contributed to the spread of COVID-19. In response to those concerns, we asked for legal options on restricting inter-provincial travel and a better understanding of the impact of travel on transmission,” Horgan states. “The review of our legal options made it clear we can’t prevent people from travelling to B.C. We can impose restrictions on people travelling for non-essential purposes if they are causing harm to the health and safety of British Columbians.”
Horgan notes that the majority of current inter-provincial travel can’t be restricted because it’s work related. “If we see transmission increase due to inter-provincial travel, we will impose stronger restrictions on non-essential travellers,” he adds.
