BC to enter stage three on July 1

With British Columbians achieving nearly 80% adult Dose 1 vaccine coverage and COVID-19 case counts continuing to decline, the Province is safely moving to Step 3 of its four-step restart plan on July 1, 2021.

“British Columbians have stepped up at every stage throughout this pandemic,” said Premier John Horgan. “We’ve helped our neighbours stay safe, we’ve sacrificed time with friends and family and we have diligently registered to get vaccinated. We’ve now reached a point in our vaccination efforts when we can begin to remove restrictions. Let’s continue to respect everyone’s comfort level as we safely take another step toward putting this pandemic behind us.”

Moving to Step 3 will signal the end to the longest provincial state of emergency in B.C.’s history. The emergency will be lifted on June 30 at 11:59 p.m.

B.C.’s public health emergency will remain in effect during Step 3 to support amended public health orders from the provincial health officer (PHO), with reduced requirements.

Moving from Step 2 to Step 3 also includes:

* return to normal for indoor and outdoor personal gatherings;

* maximum capacity for indoor organized gatherings of 50 people or up to 50% of a venue’s total capacity, whichever is greater;

* maximum capacity for outdoor organized gatherings of 5,000 people or up to 50% of a venue’s total capacity, whichever is greater;

* return to normal for fairs, festivals and trade shows, with communicable disease plans;

* return to Canada-wide recreational travel;

* reopening of casinos, with reduced capacity and ~50% of gaming stations permitted to open;

* reopening of nightclubs, with up to 10 people seated at tables, no socializing between tables and no dancing;

* return to normal hours for liquor service at restaurants, bars and pubs with table limits to be determined by venue and no socializing between tables;

* return to normal for sports and exercise facilities, with communicable disease plans; and

* mask wearing recommended in indoor public spaces for all people 12 and older who are not yet fully vaccinated.