British Columbia remains in a state of emergency nearly one year since the original declaration was made.
The B.C. government announced Tuesday that it has formally extended the provincial state of emergency until March 16.
The extension allows provincial emergency management officials to continue to use extraordinary powers under the Emergency Program Act in order to deal with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 1,300 British Columbians.
Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, said in a press release that public health orders will continue to be enforced.
“We need to keep following public health orders so we can all get through this next period safely until more vaccines are ready,” Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, said in a press release.
The original state of emergency declaration was made back on March 18, 2020, one day after Dr. Bonnie Henry, provincial health officer, declared a public health emergency.
State of emergency declarations are only good for two weeks in B.C., meaning the province has to continually extend them.
MORE: ‘Extraordinary powers’: State of emergency extended in B.C. again
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