A lineup outside Kamloops Costco Thursday morning (Image Credit: Contributed / Deb Sharkey)

By James Peters

Coronavirus outbreak

‘I do not understand what is motivating people’: B.C. health minister says toilet paper hoarding not helpful

Mar 12, 2020 | 7:45 AM

KAMLOOPS — B.C.’s health minister says he can’t understand why there has been a run on toilet paper in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Local retail outlets are finding it difficult to keep toilet paper on their shelves.

Viewer Deb Sharkey sent CFJC Today a photo taken before the Kamloops Costco opened its doors Thursday morning (Mar. 12), showing a long lineup of people in the parking lot.

Sharkey says she was told the store had sold out of toilet paper within 10 minutes of opening.

WATCH: Health Minister Adrian Dix speaks to CFJC’s Balance of Power.

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Speaking to CFJC’s Balance of Power, Health Minister Adrian Dix says hoarding toilet paper doesn’t make sense.

“It’s not wrong to be prepared, but I don’t think it’s helpful to be absurd,” said Dix. “The toilet paper question — I do not understand what is motivating people to do that. I don’t think it’s at all necessary to hoard and I don’t think it’s particularly helpful.”

“I’m not sure also, in fairness, people are doing a lot of harm by doing it, necessarily, if they’re buying a lot of toilet paper,” Dix added. “What’s going to end up happening is they’re going to have a lot of toilet paper for a long time.”

Dix notes it’s not a concern right now, but government does have the power to prevent hoarding.

“There may be some controls put in place… on issues of prices if the situation becomes quite severe and we’re dealing with a situation like other countries are dealing with now. We have the power under the Emergency Act of B.C. to address those questions,” Dix noted. “And we’re going to be meeting with the retail grocery industry soon to talk about ensuring that there is adequate availability of supplies.”

Dix’s full comments will air on Balance of Power, Thursday evening at 7:00 p.m. on CFJC TV.