What a local state of emergency actually means

Acquire or use any land or personal property considered necessary to prevent, respond to or alleviate the effects of an emergency or disaster
Authorize or require any person to render assistance of a type that the person is qualified to provide or that otherwise is or may be required, to prevent, respond to or alleviate the effects of an emergency or disaster
Control or prohibit travel to or from any area of British Columbia
Provide for the restoration of essential facilities and the distribution of essential supplies and provide, maintain and coordinate emergency medical, welfare and other essential services in any part of British Columbia
Cause the evacuation of persons and the removal of livestock, animals and personal property from any area of British Columbia that is or may be affected by an emergency or a disaster and make arrangements for the adequate care and protection of those persons, livestock, animals and personal property
Authorize the entry into any building or on any land, without warrant, by any person in the course of implementing an emergency plan or program or if otherwise considered by the minister to be necessary to prevent, respond to or alleviate the effects of an emergency or disaster
Cause the demolition or removal of any trees, structures or crops if the demolition or removal is considered by the minister to be necessary or appropriate in order to prevent, respond to or alleviate the effects of an emergency or disaster
Construct works considered by the minister to be necessary or appropriate to prevent, respond to or alleviate the effects of an emergency or disaster
Procure, fix prices for or ration food, clothing, fuel, equipment, medical supplies or other essential supplies and the use of any property, services, resources or equipment within any part of British Columbia for the duration of the state of emergency

These powers are written for a provincial perspective, but apply to local authorities once a state of local emergency has been called.

Although the emergency has been called, it doesn’t mean the City will use all or any of these powers.

“These powers infringe on civil liberties of citizens and should only be drawn upon by local authorities when no other reasonably achievable options are available to protect the community,” the province says.

A local declaration expires seven days from that date it is signed unless it is extended.

On Thursday, Vancouver declared a state of local emergency and was able to force restaurants and bars that did not comply with provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry’s advice to shut down.

“It does give us more power to react more quickly to those kinds of things,” Mayor Christian said when asked about the situation in Vancouver. “As to whether or not those would be used in the coming days, we don’t know that.”

“For the most part I’ve seen, in my limited movements around the city of Kamloops, people are adhering to the advice of Dr. Henry. It’s pretty desolate on the streets, sadly, it’s kind of like a Sunday afternoon. Things are really ramped down and we’re not seeing any kind of situations.”

Christian said he believes people really are complying, but if the need was warranted this declaration would allow the City to act.

He added that this is a difficult situation when people are being urged to change their social actions and ways of life.

“We don’t want people to be sort of holed up in their basement, we want people to be out by themselves or as a family group getting some fresh air and experiencing the outside,” he said. “But do not congregate… so that you don’t run the risk of expanding the infection.”

Christian said the City is doing what it feels is right for the community.

“I can assure the people of Kamloops that we have a very seasoned group of people,” Christian said. “They’re doing what they feel is necessary to make sure that we have sustained services here in the city of Kamloops that will get us through this situation.”

The following services remain operational in Kamloops:

Kamloops Fire Rescue
Kamloops RCMP
Kamloops Bylaw services
Emergency social services
Residential garbage and recycling pickup (includes commercial and multi-family)
Landfills, recycling, and Yard Waste Depots
City parks, dog parks, trails, and public washrooms
Kamloops Centre for Water Quality
Kamloops Sewage Treatment Centre
Building inspection services
Building permit services
Business licensing services
Planning services
Transportation and engineering services
Social and community health
Road maintenance, water, and sewer utilities
Financial services

by Ashley Legassic

What a local state of emergency actually means

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