As protestors in the United States and parts of Canada demand an end to lockdown restrictions, Premier John Horgan says the majority of British Columbians are supportive of the measures his government has taken to “bend” the curve.
“I firmly believe that the overwhelming majority of British Columbians are on the same page when it comes to bending the curve and working hard to ensure that we are protecting our communities, now and into the future,” Horgan said at the end of an announcement on additional health service supports for rural, remote and indigenous communities on Monday afternoon.
The comments were made in response to a question from the media about protests in the United States. Protests demanding an end to at-home orders have sprung up throughout the United States, including Washington, Wisconsin, Michigan, Maryland, Minnesota, Colorado, Texas and Ohio, in recent days.
There have been small-sized protests in Vancouver as well.
Horgan said he is regular communication with Washington governor Jay Inslee about how B.C. can potentially move in “unison on a range of issues” with the state as well as California, Oregon, and Yukon, adding that he would rather take guidance and advice from Inslee than the U.S. federal government. He also said B.C. will take a regional approach to lifting restrictions.
“We are going to take a regional approach to this, obviously mindful of what the Canadian position is, mindful of what is going on in the Eastern states and the Southern states, but most importantly the Western states,” he said.
Horgan said the leadership provided by Health Minister Adrian Dix and provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry are largely providing people with a “sense of confidence” that B.C. is acting based on science and not emotion. He said decisions to reduce restrictions, whenever they occur, will be based on science and not emotion or pressure from “a particular stakeholder” and that B.C. will do what is best for itself when the time is right.
“British Columbia will make choices for British Columbians,” Horgan said.
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Also during the media question period, the premier also touched on TransLink’s announcement that they will lay off 1,500 workers because ridership numbers have plummeted amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Horgan said public transit in the province has seen a significant drop in ridership numbers since the pandemic began. He said TransLink has had an 83 per cent decline in ridership, while BC Transit has seen a 75 per cent reduction and BC Ferries has experienced a 91 per cent decline.
“These very important transportation links within B.C., public entities, all of them in one variation or another, are in crisis right now,” Horgan said.
Horgan called on the federal government to provide some financial assistance to public transit systems throughout the country.
“We should also look at our public entities who depend on a farebox or direct subsidy from taxpayers either at the provincial order or the municipal order. We can’t sustain an 83 per cent reduction in ridership, that’s just not going to work,” he said, adding. “We need a national response to our transit challenges a well.”
With files from Canadian Press.
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