COVID-19 Updates and Resources

Emergency Preparedness Week - May 1-8
Along with the ongoing pandemic, the past year presented us with a heat dome, drought, forest fires, heavy rain, and devastating floods at a level not seen before. Our world is changing, and we need to be ready for anything. The theme for 2022 Emergency Preparedness Week is “Be Ready for Anything”. We encourage everyone to consider their family and work situation preparing for anything which could change or disrupt your normal day. Why would we put this responsibility on you? Because only you know what you need to help you and your family get through the stress and trauma of an emergency or disaster.

For all of us to get through an emergency or disaster and return to normal faster, there are three groups needing to work together and ensure their preparedness. To be ready for anything, you and your family need to be prepared with a plan and supplies to help you through the emergency. Local government must have a plan on how to provide support to residents, deal with the emergency and recover while providing as much regular day-to-day service as possible. The province must also have a plan on how it will support local governments with people and supplies when needed. When all three of these groups have a practiced plan, we will all be ready for anything.

Emergency Management Oceanside is continuously working to improve plans to support Oceanside residents and businesses for any emergency or disaster. EMO is now working with the City of Parksville and Town of Qualicum Beach to improve business continuity plans to ensure Oceanside residents will have reliable, essential service in an emergency. We purchased new technology through a provincial grant to make our Emergency Support Services program more efficient; providing displaced residents the help they need faster. We are reviewing and renewing all our emergency hazard plans to ensure they reflect current regional hazards and their impacts.

The province is working to improve their readiness, EMO is doing the same. We urge you to work with us to be ready for anything.

Everyone has a role to play in an emergency. Emergency Preparedness Week is an opportunity for you to take action to ensure you are prepared to protect yourself, your family, and your community during an emergency.

• Know the risks
• Make a plan
• Get an emergency kit

Learn how quick and easy it is to become better prepared to face a range of emergencies – anytime, anywhere. Basic steps will help you take care of yourself and your loved ones during an emergency.

Be Ready for Anything resources on EMO website includes:
Get Prepared has great info about floods, power outages, sever storms, earthquakes
Emergency preparedness guide for people with disabilities/special needs
Emergency kits and supplies
Being prepared at home, work, school, your vehicle
Business and employer preparedness
Travel preparedness
Protecting your pets
Tsunami preparedness

Recent Hydro Power Outage
The power outage on Sunday, April 19 in the mid-Island region was a perfect reminder that we need to be prepared for any emergency which might come our way. The not so seasonal, unusual snowstorm caused outages to power, cellular, internet, and social media. All this meant EMO had no reliable way to get messaging to you and to see where support may have been needed.

Thankfully, the weather was mild, and power was interrupted for five hours only. Imagine if this situation had occurred in January at minus 5 degrees and lasted for 24 to 48 hours. Are you comfortable with the emergency preparedness measures that you now have in place?

With longer term events, EMO would plan to open reception centres where residents could come to warm up and to help with information about the situation. If there is no ability to get messages to you, you would need to watch for signs on main roads with instructions on where to find an open warming centre. This is our plan, what is yours? Are you ready for anything?

GENERAL INFORMATION

Town of Qualicum Beach
Town Hall is open to the public with full services. Hours of operation are Monday to Friday, 9 am to 4 pm (except statutory holidays). Although the office is open, residents are strongly encouraged to take advantage of the other payment options including payment through your financial institution; mail a cheque; or drop off a cheque at Town Hall drop box (location below). If you do wish to visit Town Hall to conduct business, masks are recommended while in the building.

• Email qbtown@qualicumbeach.com
• Phone 250 752-6921
• Post PO Box 130, Qualicum Beach V9K 1S7
• Mail Slot Out front of Town Hall, nearest the fountain
• Website

City of Parksville
City Hall is open to the public from 8 am to 4 pm and our operations department from 8 am to 4 pm and closed noon to 1 pm.

Information when visiting:

• Access to the Parksville Civic and Technology Centre is from Jensen Avenue East and from the library parking lot.
• Masks are recommended while in the building.
• The public is welcome to attend Council meetings in-person; however, attendance is limited. Meetings may be viewed from the City’s website.
• If sick, please stay home.
• Refer to the City website and Let’s Talk Parksville for more information.

COVID-19 Resources
BC Centre for Disease Control
Island Health
Vaccine info - 1 833 838-2323
Medical COVID-19 information - 811

For more information:
Aaron Dawson, Emergency Program Coordinator
City of Parksville
adawson@parksville.ca

Deb Tardiff, Manager of Communications
City of Parksville
dtardiff@parksville.ca

Link to PDF

COVID Update
On March 10, Minister Dix and Dr Henry announced a balanced and transitional approach over the next few weeks to changes around COVID-19 restrictions. Detailed information may be found on BC Government and BCCDC websites. The next public health officer update will be held prior to the April 8 changes.

BC is one of the most vaccinated jurisdictions in the world. Dr Henry advises our province continues to progress well and to go in the right direction. Because of our high vaccination rate, our immunity is high and because people followed safety measure when it was necessary to do so to keep us safe. As transmission goes down, the risk in our community goes down as well. Dr Henry stressed the importance of moving at our own pace, assessing our own risks and being respectful of the comfort level of others.

Changes which came into effect today ease restrictions:

• Repeal of face covering mandate in indoor settings
• Long-term care visitation restored
• Overnight child and youth camp order lifted
• Faith gathering capacity limits lifted

Face coverings
Masks will no longer be mandatory in indoor settings with some health-related exceptions. It is important to recognize we will have different comfort levels and differing levels of risk and that we should be able to move at our own pace. Masks continue to be a layer of protection for ourselves and for those around us.

Childcare and K-12
Revisions to guidelines will be effective when students return from spring break; timing for spring break will differ among school districts.

What’s ahead for us on April 8
These changes to come into effect on April 8 assume the number of cases does not increase and hospitalizations continue to decline.

• BC Vaccine card will no longer be required
• Businesses transition from COVID-19 safety plan to communicable disease plan
• Post-secondary residence vaccine requirement lifted.

Tsunami Preparedness

Tsunami Preparedness Week in BC is recognized April 10 to April 16. Prepared BC is hosting a virtual High Ground Hike and contest. Details are at this link.

As well, here are a few more online PreparedBC tsunami and earthquake resources for your reading pleasure:

Earthquake and Tsunami Guide
Get prepared for a tsunami
EMO Tsunami Preparedness

Resources for People with Disabilities
There are some good preparedness resources for people with disabilities. PreparedBC provides a guide available at this link: Resources for People with Disabilities. If you would like a copy of the booklet, please stop by City of Parksville, administration office for a copy courtesy of EMO.

Vehicle Emergency Kit
Here’s a suggested checklist for your vehicle emergency kit which can be kept in your vehicle year-round, then checked twice a year to ensure freshness of water and to restock any items. These supplies can be stored in a portable container in your vehicle. As well, remember to always keep your vehicle’s gas tank at least half-full.

Here’s a suggestion of some of the items you might wish to include:

• Flashlight and extra batteries
• Portable cell phone charger
• Non-perishable food/energy bars
• Bottled water, plastic so it won’t break if frozen
• Booster cables
• Hand sanitizer (60% alcohol). Can also be used for de-icing frozen locks
• Emergency flares
• High visibility vest
• Candle in a deep metal can and waterproof matches
• Heavy blanket/sleeping bag
• Extra clothing and footwear (seasonal)
• Work gloves
• Fire extinguisher
• First aid kit
• Shovel
• Whistle
• Spare fuel container
• Road maps
• Emergency contact numbers
• Emergency help sign for dashboard.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Town of Qualicum Beach
Town Hall is open to the public with full services. Hours of operation are Monday to Friday, 9 am to 4 pm (except statutory holidays). Although the office is open, residents are strongly encouraged to take advantage of the other payment options including payment through your financial institution; mail a cheque; or drop off a cheque at Town Hall drop box (location below). If you do wish to visit Town Hall to conduct business, masks are recommended while in the building.

• Email qbtown@qualicumbeach.com
• Phone 250 752-6921
• Post PO Box 130, Qualicum Beach V9K 1S7
• Mail Slot Out front of Town Hall, nearest the fountain
• Website

City of Parksville
City Hall is open to the public from 8 am to 4 pm and our operations department from 8 am to 4 pm and closed noon to 1 pm.

Information when visiting:

• Access to the Parksville Civic and Technology Centre is from Jensen Avenue East and from the library parking lot.
• Masks are recommended while in the building.
• The public is welcome to attend Council meetings in-person; however, attendance is limited. Meetings may be viewed from the City’s website.
• If sick, please stay home.
• Refer to the City website and Let’s Talk Parksville for more information.

BC Centre for Disease Control
BCCDC – COVID-19
Island Health
Proof of vaccination info
Vaccine info - 1 833 838-2323
Medical COVID-19 information - 811

For more information:

Aaron Dawson
Emergency Program Coordinator, City of Parksville
adawson@parksville.ca

Deb Tardiff
Manager of Communications, City of Parksville
dtardiff@parksville.ca

This afternoon, the Province of BC announced the lifting of some restrictions which have been in place for some time; part of a long-term COVID management program to ensure balance in the easing of restrictions. We will see incremental easing of restrictions and orders starting this week with the remaining COVID-19 public health measures to be reviewed in March and April.

Individuals and organizations will be able to assess risks and determine comfort zones, meaning we will be able to go at our own pace. Because COVID-19 continues to circulate in our communities, immunization campaigns will continue, including boosters.

The vaccine card will continue to be required for access to restaurants, fitness facilities and other indoor spaces and masks are required in indoor public spaces.

PROTECTIVE MEASURES IN PLACE TO CONTINUE
(To be reviewed again by March 15 and April 12)

• Masks in indoor public spaces
• BC vaccine card
• COVID-19 safety plans
• Long-term care visitation restrictions
• K-12 and childcare guidelines
• Faith community guidelines
• Restrictions on child and youth overnight camps
• Industrial camp order

THINGS WE CAN DO
(Starting February 16 at 11.59 pm)

• Indoor personal gatherings - return to normal.
• Indoor and outdoor organized gatherings - full capacity, dancing allowed (with masks and BC vaccine card)
• Indoor seated events - full capacity (with masks and BC vaccine card)
• Fitness centres, adult sports, dance, swimming - full capacity, no tournament restrictions (with masks and BC vaccine card)
• Restaurants, bars and nightclubs - full capacity, no table limits, mingling and dancing allowed (with masks and BC vaccine card)

The updated Public Health Orders may be viewed at this link.

Respectful Distancing
As we learn to live with the pandemic there will be a shift from the term ‘physical distancing’ to ‘respectful distancing’. Respectful distancing drops the strictness of two metres between people and is all about respecting the personal space of others. It is a positive move for the general population because after almost two years of very specific instructions, people can determine what is comfortable for them.

Town of Qualicum Beach
Town Hall is open to the public with full services. Hours of operation are Monday to Friday, 9 am to 4 pm (except statutory holidays). Although the office is open, residents are strongly encouraged to take advantage of the other payment options including payment through your financial institution; mail a cheque; or drop off a cheque at Town Hall drop box (location below). If you do wish to visit Town Hall to conduct business, masks are mandatory while in the building.

• Email qbtown@qualicumbeach.com
• Phone 250 752-6921
• Post PO Box 130, Qualicum Beach V9K 1S7
• Mail Slot Out front of Town Hall, nearest the fountain
• Website

City of Parksville
City Hall is open to the public from 8 am to 4 pm and our operations department from 8 am to 4 pm and closed noon to 1 pm.

Information for the public when visiting:

• Access to the Parksville Civic and Technology Centre is from Jensen Avenue East and from the library parking lot.
• Masks are mandatory while in the building.
• Staff may elect to meet with the public either in-person or virtually and in-person meetings will comply with protocols on distancing and masks.
• Main floor washrooms are open for public use.

For information, contact:

Aaron Dawson
Emergency Program Coordinator, City of Parksville
adawson@parksville.ca

Rob Daman
Emergency Program Coordinator, Town of Qualicum Beach
rdaman@qualicumbeach.com

Deb Tardiff
Manager of Communications, City of Parksville
dtardiff@parksville.ca

EMO Website
We’ve added a few new items to our website which we hope you will find interesting.

• Frequently Asked Questions provide answers to a series of what we think would be the most obvious questions about emergency preparedness.
• Tsunami Preparedness

Tsunami Preparedness
Parksville Qualicum Beach region is fortunate to be on the sheltered east coast of Vancouver Island; Tsunami Notification Zone E identified as Strait of Georgia (including the Gulf Islands), Greater Vancouver and Johnstone Strait. Our region is identified as low risk for tsunami with wave height anticipated to be less than two metres above normal sea levels. British Columbia’s coastal communities are divided into five tsunami notification zones. Each of the five zones are identified and shown on this map.

In January, the National Tsunami Warning Center issued a tsunami advisory following a volcanic eruption in the Pacific Basin near the Tonga Islands. The advisory did not apply to our region but did apply to Zones A, B C and D along the coast. The information showing the cancelled advisory is available at this link, provided for interest.

Our website provides definitions for warning, advisory and watch and how best to receive alerts.

COVID Information
On January 25, Dr Henry announced the vaccine card we use to access restaurants, fitness facilities and other indoor spaces has been extended to June 30 for people age 12 and older. This date may be adjusted if the infection situation changes in our province.

Respectful Distancing
As we learn to live with the pandemic there will be a shift from the term ‘physical distancing’ to ‘respectful distancing’. Respectful distancing drops the strictness of two metres between people and is all about respecting the personal space of others. It is a positive move for the general population because after almost two years of very specific instructions, people can now go back to determining what is comfortable for them.

Province-wide restrictions
To help keep BC safe, these province-wide restrictions were extended until February 16. Most recent information is available here.

• Indoor organized gatherings of any size are not allowed.
• Indoor events at venues can only have 50% capacity. Limiting venues of 1,000 individuals or more to 50% of the seated capacity with reinforced masking requirements and scanning of the BC vaccine card QR code. This includes events like concerts, sports or movies.
• Bars, nightclubs and lounges remain closed.
• Restaurants, cafes and pubs can have a maximum of six people at each table.
• Gyms and fitness centres can reopen on January 20 with strict capacity limits and operating restrictions.

These provincial health office orders continue until at least January 31.

• Indoor personal gatherings are limited to your household plus ten visitors or one other household. Everyone 12 and older must be fully vaccinated.
• The BC vaccine card is required for organized events of any size.
• At restaurants, cafes and pubs, customers must stay seated and cannot move between or visit other tables. Masks are required when not seated.
• All sports tournaments and related travel are not allowed.

In addition to the provincial health officer orders, British Columbians are advised to limit indoor gatherings to those who are fully vaccinated, ensure proper ventilation indoors, avoid all travel if not fully vaccinated and follow the travel advisory issued by the federal government to avoid non-essential travel outside of Canada.

This website link provides a comprehensive list of COVID-19 orders and notices through the public health office.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Town of Qualicum Beach
Town Hall is open to the public with full services. Hours of operation are Monday to Friday, 9 am to 4 pm (except statutory holidays). Although the office is open, residents are strongly encouraged to take advantage of the other payment options including payment through your financial institution; mail a cheque; or drop off a cheque at Town Hall drop box (location below). If you do wish to visit Town Hall to conduct business, masks are mandatory while in the building.

• Email qbtown@qualicumbeach.com
• Phone 250 752-6921
• Post PO Box 130, Qualicum Beach V9K 1S7
• Mail Slot Out front of Town Hall, nearest the fountain
• Website

City of Parksville
City Hall is open to the public from 8 am to 4 pm and our operations department from 8 am to 4 pm and closed noon to 1 pm.

Information for the public when visiting:

• Access to the Parksville Civic and Technology Centre is from Jensen Avenue East and from the library parking lot.
• Masks are mandatory while in the building.
• Staff may elect to meet with the public either in-person or virtually and in-person meetings will comply with protocols on distancing and masks.
• Main floor washrooms are open for public use.
• The public is welcome to attend Council meetings in-person; however, attendance is limited. Meetings may be viewed from the City’s website.
• If sick, please stay home.
• Refer to the City website and Let’s Talk Parksville for more information.

BC Centre for Disease Control
Island Health
Vaccine info - 1 833 838-2323
Medical COVID-19 information - 811
Proof of vaccination info

The Omicron variant continues to be far more transmissible compared to other COVID-19 variants. Yesterday, the public health officer extended orders until at least February 16 when they will be reviewed. The public health officer continues to recommend a COVID-19 vaccination as the most effective prevention measure to reduce the risk of infection from COVID-19.

Information about COVID-19, how to protect yourself, your family and your community and what to do if you suspect you have the virus is available from Island Health. Everyone 18 years and older will be invited to get a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine about six months after they received their second dose. Information about the booster is available here.

Province-wide restrictions
To help keep BC safe, these province-wide restrictions have been extended until February 16. Most recent information is available here.

• Indoor organized gatherings of any size are not allowed.
• Indoor events at venues can only have 50% capacity. Limiting venues of 1,000 individuals or more to 50% of the seated capacity with reinforced masking requirements and scanning of the BC vaccine card QR code. This includes events like concerts, sports or movies.
• Bars, nightclubs and lounges remain closed.
• Restaurants, cafes and pubs can have a maximum of six people at each table.
• Gyms and fitness centres can reopen on January 20 with strict capacity limits and operating restrictions.

These provincial health office orders continue until at least January 31.

• Indoor personal gatherings are limited to your household plus ten visitors or one other household. Everyone 12 and older must be fully vaccinated.
• The BC vaccine card is required for organized events of any size.
• At restaurants, cafes and pubs, customers must stay seated and cannot move between or visit other tables. Masks are required when not seated
• All sports tournaments and related travel are not allowed.

In addition to the provincial health officer orders, British Columbians are advised to limit indoor gatherings to those who are fully vaccinated, ensure proper ventilation indoors, avoid all travel if not fully vaccinated and follow the travel advisory issued by the federal government to avoid non-essential travel outside of Canada.

This link provides a comprehensive list of COVID-19 orders and notices through the public health office.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Town of Qualicum Beach
Town Hall is open to the public with full services. Hours of operation are Monday to Friday, 9 am to 4 pm (except statutory holidays). Although the office is open, residents are strongly encouraged to take advantage of the other payment options including payment through your financial institution; mail a cheque; or drop off a cheque at Town Hall drop box (location below). If you do wish to visit Town Hall to conduct business, masks are mandatory while in the building.

• Email qbtown@qualicumbeach.com
• Phone 250 752-6921
• Post PO Box 130, Qualicum Beach V9K 1S7
• Mail Slot Out front of Town Hall, nearest the fountain
• Website

City of Parksville
City Hall is open to the public from 8 am to 4 pm and our operations department from 8 am to 4 pm and closed noon to 1 pm.

Information for the public when visiting:

• Entrance to the Parksville Civic and Technology Centre is from Jensen Avenue East only.
• Masks are mandatory while in the building.
• Staff may elect to meet with the public either in-person or virtually and in-person meetings will comply with protocols on distancing and masks.
• Access to the Vancouver Island Library is from 100 Jensen Avenue East.
• Main floor washrooms are open for public use.
• The public is welcome to attend Council meetings in-person; however, attendance is limited. Meetings may be viewed from the City’s website.
• If sick, please stay home.
• Refer to the City website and Let’s Talk Parksville for more information.

BC Centre for Disease Control
Island Health
Vaccine info - 1 833 838-2323
Medical COVID-19 information - 811
Proof of vaccination info

For information, contact:

Aaron Dawson
Emergency Program Coordinator, City of Parksville
adawson@parksville.ca

Rob Daman
Emergency Program Coordinator, Town of Qualicum Beach
rdaman@qualicumbeach.com

Deb Tardiff
Manager of Communications, City of Parksville
dtardiff@parksville.ca

January 17, 2022

In our continued commitment to protect the health and safety of our workforce and the public, the City announced earlier this month we would be instituting a mandatory vaccination policy for employees. This operational safety measure will take effect February 22.

City employees, contractors, volunteers, and on-call firefighters have the choice to take rapid tests if they do not wish to declare their vaccination status. Termination is not being considered for workers who are not vaccinated.

Implemented by the City’s chief administrative officer, this decision was made with input from the medical health officer, senior staff, CUPE Local 401 and with guidance from WorkSafe BC and is one of the many ways we are working to reduce the workplace risks associated with contracting COVID 19 and to minimize negative impacts on workers.

Business continuity is a critical consideration for governments and this initiative, along with the many other protocols adopted since March 2020, will contribute to the uninterrupted provision of essential municipal services. The decision to implement mandatory vaccinations is consistent with federal, provincial, and other local governments within British Columbia that have also announced vaccine mandates.

For more information on municipal services during the COVID-19 pandemic, please visit https://letstalkparksville.ca/covid-19

LINK TO PDF

We hope your holidays were relatively uneventful despite the snow, wind and rain we recently experienced. We wish you and your families, the best for 2022, may it be a safe and healthy year.

Protect Your Property from Melting Snow
Snow looks lovely on greeting cards, but when it starts to melt, it can wreak havoc on your home. Large amounts of water can clog gutters, damage drainpipes if frozen or even saturate foundation material. That's why, to help protect your home from melting snow, you need to be proactive. By taking time to minimize the risk of melting snow from damaging your property, you can protect your investment and help you and your family enjoy a safe, warm and comfortable home all winter long.

Prevention is the key to protecting your home from excess snow, ice and the resulting snowmelt runoff. Here are a few tips:

Your roof
Have your roof inspected and, if necessary, repaired by a professional roofing contractor. That way, you can make sure there are no leaks that could result in water damage. Heat from the attic can melt rooftop snow, leading to ice buildup and the collection of even more water on the roof. Adding insulation to the attic helps prevent this and saves on energy costs.

Clear away snow from around your home
When all that snow melts, water will inevitably seep into the construction materials of your home. First, clear the roof snow and then circle your foundation, clearing most of the snow to four to six feet. Then when the snow does melt, it will be well away from the foundation.

Clear snow from the roof
Once you've cleared sufficient space around your home and made sure the driveway and walkways aren't slippery, you can clear your roof. Don’t climb on your roof adding weight along with the danger of sliding off. Stand on a sturdy ladder; it's best if someone holds it to keep it stable and use a roof rake to remove excess snow.

Make sure the gutters and downspouts are free of debris
All that melting snow has to runoff your roof and away from your property. Check the gutters and downspouts, and if there's any buildup of dirt and debris, scoop it out and dispose of it appropriately. It’s important to install correctly sized gutters and downspouts to carry the expected water from both rain and snow and the downspout extensions along with the landscape grading need to move the water well away from the foundation.

Clean the drains
Your downspouts should be positioned so they lead water to the drainage system. Clear the drains of any debris, so water won't pool in those areas.

Basement or crawl space waterproofing
Install waterproofing measures such as an interior drainage system and sump pump that removes water before damage occurs. Fix any cracks in the foundation before they let in water or expand with freezing. When water levels are high after a thaw, your sump pump leads water away from your basement to prevent flooding. Refer to the manufacturer's manual to run a check on the device to see if it's in good working order. If it isn't, call a plumber to have it repaired as soon as possible. With existing sump pump systems, make sure the drain lines are working and the backup battery is fully operational.

Foundation insulation
Heat escaping through foundation walls can lead to snow melting around the basement or crawl space. This leads to soil saturation, hydrostatic pressure build-up, cracks, and flooding. Additional insulation can help prevent this and save on heating costs.

Sources: ENCOMPASS, CBC, University of Waterloo

Here's an explanation about snow melt, research from the University of Waterloo.

Understanding the status of your power outage
There are many individuals working behind the scenes to restore your power, especially in the event of a major storm or emergency.

When there is a power outage, BC Hydro provides a list of outages and outage map which show the status of your outage and the process. Here’s what each means:

• No crew assigned - a crew hasn’t been assigned to the outage yet. BC Hydro is working around the clock to get power restored but there are no updates at this point.
• Crew assigned - a crew has been assigned to the area and your outage is on their list to tackle when they can.
• Crew on their way - a crew is on its way to investigate your outage.
• Crew on-site - a crew is working to investigate the cause of the outage and determine the required repairs and with an estimated time of restoration (ETR) soon.
• Changed from assigned to not-assigned - the crew may have been called away to address an immediate safety issue or emergency, other work took longer than anticipated, or additional damage was found, and resources were shifted.
• Suspended - the initial crew that arrived and assessed the problem needed different equipment. This usually means heavy equipment or materials like new poles, or additional personnel to tackle the problem and it's not currently assigned to a specific crew.

The above is from the BC Hydro website which includes much more information about types of outages, the process to restore outages, and how outages are prioritized.

COVID-19
As we begin 2022, the Omicron variant is proving to be far more transmissible compared to other COVID-19 variants. The public health officer advises the most effective prevention measure to reduce the risk of infection from COVID is vaccination.

Information about COVID-19, how to protect yourself, your family and your community and what to do if you suspect you have the virus is available from Island Health. Everyone 18 years and older will be invited to get a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine about six months after they received their second dose. Information about the booster is available here.

Last week, the City of Parksville announced steps to prepare for a mandatory vaccination policy. Employees, contractors, volunteers and on-call firefighters will be required to provide proof they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Details of the policy and implementation plan are now being finalized.

Province-wide restrictions
To help keep BC safe, province-wide restrictions are in effect until January 18. Most recent information is available here.

• Indoor organized gatherings of any size are not allowed.
• Indoor events at venues can only have 50% capacity. This includes events like concerts, sports or movies.
• Bars, nightclubs and lounges are closed.
• Restaurants, cafes and pubs can have a maximum of six people at each table.
• Adult gyms, fitness centres and dance studios are closed.

As well, the provincial health officer announced revised orders which will be in effect until January 31, 2022. These orders address rising COVID-19 case counts and include:

• Indoor personal gatherings are limited to your household plus ten visitors or one other household. Everyone 12 and older must be fully vaccinated.
• The BC vaccine card is required for organized events of any size.
• At restaurants, cafes and pubs, customers must stay seated and cannot move between or visit other tables. Masks are required when not seated
• Limiting venues of 1,000 individuals or more to 50% of the seated capacity with reinforced masking requirements and scanning of the BC vaccine card QR code.
• All sports tournaments and related travel are not allowed.

In addition to the provincial health officer orders, British Columbians are advised to limit indoor gatherings to those who are fully vaccinated, ensure proper ventilation indoors, avoid all travel if not fully vaccinated and follow the travel advisory issued by the federal government to avoid non-essential travel outside of Canada.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Town of Qualicum Beach
Town Hall is open to the public with full services. Hours of operation are Monday to Friday, 9 am to 4 pm (except statutory holidays). Although the office is open, residents are strongly encouraged to take advantage of the other payment options including payment through your financial institution; mail a cheque; or drop off a cheque at Town Hall drop box (location below). If you do wish to visit Town Hall to conduct business, masks are mandatory while in the building.

• Email qbtown@qualicumbeach.com
• Phone 250 752-6921
• Post PO Box 130, Qualicum Beach V9K 1S7
• Mail Slot Out front of Town Hall, nearest the fountain
• Website

City of Parksville
City Hall is open to the public from 8 am to 4 pm and our operations department from 8 am to 4 pm and closed noon to 1 pm.

Information for the public when visiting:

• Entrance to the Parksville Civic and Technology Centre is from Jensen Avenue East only.
• Masks are mandatory while in the building.
• Staff may elect to meet with the public either in-person or virtually and in-person meetings will comply with protocols on distancing and masks.
• Access to the Vancouver Island Library is from 100 Jensen Avenue East.
• Main floor washrooms are open for public use.
• The public is welcome to attend Council meetings in-person; however, attendance is limited. Meetings may be viewed from the City’s website.
• If sick, please stay home.
• Refer to the City website and Let’s Talk Parksville for more information.

BC Centre for Disease Control
Island Health
Vaccine info - 1 833 838-2323
Medical COVID-19 information - 811
Proof of vaccination info

For information, contact:

Aaron Dawson
Emergency Program Coordinator, City of Parksville
adawson@parksville.ca

Rob Daman
Emergency Program Coordinator, Town of Qualicum Beach
rdaman@qualicumbeach.com

Deb Tardiff
Manager of Communications, City of Parksville
dtardiff@parksville.ca

In our continuing commitment to protect the health and safety of the City’s workforce and the public, the City of Parksville is taking steps to prepare for a mandatory vaccination policy for its employees. Details of the policy and implementation plan will be finalized in the coming days. Employees, contractors, volunteers and on-call firefighters will be required to provide proof they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the City has followed the Provincial Health Officer and WorkSafeBC orders and guidelines and has been monitoring the effectiveness of our COVID-19 protocols. Staff have been diligent in adhering to the City’s WorksafeBC Communicable Disease Plan which has greatly reduced the risk for our workforce.

Senior City staff have maintained regular communications with neighbouring governments and the Vancouver Island Medial Health Officer throughout the pandemic. We continue to review best practices for the protection of our staff and the public to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and enable the City to provide uninterrupted essential and important municipal services.

The decision to implement mandatory vaccinations is consistent with federal, provincial, and other local governments within British Columbia that have also announced vaccine mandates.

For more information on municipal services during the COVID-19 pandemic, please visit https://letstalkparksville.ca/covid-19

For more information:
Deb Tardiff, Manager of Communications
dtardiff@parksville.ca; 250 954-3073

LINK TO PDF

It’s the time of the year when we gather with family and friends. With COVID-19 cases on the rise, it’s so important we keep our gatherings small and in line with the current public health order. Please stay safe, our very best to you in 2022.

Over the holidays while we are “snowed in,” and it feels like winter will never end, please consider those who may need extra support by checking with neighbours and friends (bonus points if you bring soup!). The weather can be more than just inconvenient to some in our community. Here are a few ways we can make a difference; we know there are many more!

• Shovel your neighbour’s walkway and/or driveway.
• Brush the snow and ice from their vehicle
• Clear snow from street signs, storm sewer grates, fire hydrants and mailboxes if they’re covered with snow. It benefits everyone’s safety.
• Offer to pick up groceries or prescriptions for someone while driving is not great
• Offer to get a neighbour’s mail if sidewalks are snow packed.

Province-wide restrictions
To help keep BC safe, province-wide restrictions are in effect until January 18. Most recent information is available here.

• Indoor organized gatherings of any size are not allowed. This includes gatherings like New Year's Eve parties, weddings or other celebrations.
• Indoor events at venues can only have 50% capacity. This includes events like concerts, sports or movies.
• Bars, nightclubs and lounges are closed.
• Restaurants, cafes and pubs can have a maximum of six people at each table.
• Adult gyms, fitness centres and dance studios are closed.

As well, the provincial health officer announced revised orders which will be in effect until January 31, 2022. These orders address rising COVID-19 case counts and include:

• Indoor personal gatherings are limited to your household plus ten visitors or one other household. Everyone 12 and older must be fully vaccinated.
• The BC vaccine card is required for organized events of any size.
• At restaurants, cafes and pubs, customers must stay seated and cannot move between or visit other tables. Masks are required when not seated
• Limiting venues of 1,000 individuals or more to 50% of the seated capacity with reinforced masking requirements and scanning of the BC vaccine card QR code.
• All sports tournaments and related travel are not allowed.
• All New Year’s Eve organized gatherings and events are restricted to being seated-only events, with no mingling or dancing allowed.

In addition to the provincial health officer orders, British Columbians are advised to limit indoor gatherings to those who are fully vaccinated, ensure proper ventilation indoors, avoid all travel if not fully vaccinated and follow the travel advisory issued by the federal government to avoid non-essential travel outside of Canada.

Information about COVID-19, how to protect yourself, your family and your community and what to do if you suspect you have the virus is available from Island Health. Information about booster doses at this link. This link explains priority groups and the requirement to wait until contacted.

Island Health Looks Back and Looks Ahead
Posted by Island Health today, we are passing it along for information. A reflection on 2021 and the challenges Omicron will present in 2022.

For information, contact:

Aaron Dawson
Emergency Program Coordinator, City of Parksville
adawson@parksville.ca

Rob Daman
Emergency Program Coordinator, Town of Qualicum Beach
rdaman@qualicumbeach.com

Deb Tardiff
Manager of Communications, City of Parksville
dtardiff@parksville.ca

To help keep BC safe, the public health officer introduced province-wide restrictions now in effect until January 18, 2022. Most recent information is available here.

• Indoor organized gatherings of any size are not allowed. This includes gatherings like New Year's Eve parties, weddings or other celebrations.
• Indoor events at venues can only have 50% capacity. This includes events like concerts, sports or movies.
• Bars, nightclubs and lounges are closed.
• Restaurants, cafes and pubs can have a maximum of six people at each table.
• Adult gyms, fitness centres and dance studios are closed.

As of December 20, the provincial health officer announced revised orders in effect until January 31, 2022. These orders address rising COVID-19 case counts and include:

• Indoor personal gatherings are limited to your household plus ten visitors or one other household. Everyone 12 and older must be fully vaccinated.
• The BC vaccine card is required for organized events of any size.
• At restaurants, cafes and pubs, customers must stay seated and cannot move between or visit other tables. Masks are required when not seated
• Limiting venues of 1,000 individuals or more to 50% of the seated capacity with reinforced masking requirements and scanning of the BC vaccine card QR code.
• All sports tournaments and related travel are not allowed.
• All New Year’s Eve organized gatherings and events are restricted to being seated-only events, with no mingling or dancing allowed.

In addition to the provincial health officer orders, British Columbians are advised to limit indoor gatherings to those who are fully vaccinated, ensure proper ventilation indoors, avoid all travel if not fully vaccinated and follow the travel advisory issued by the federal government to avoid non-essential travel outside of Canada.

Information about COVID-19, how to protect yourself, your family and your community and what to do if you suspect you have the virus is available from Island Health.

Information about booster dose is available from the province at this link. The information explains priority groups and the requirement to wait until contacted.

Please take care, be safe. See you in 2022.

For information, contact:

Aaron Dawson
Emergency Program Coordinator, City of Parksville
adawson@parksville.ca

Rob Daman
Emergency Program Coordinator, Town of Qualicum Beach
rdaman@qualicumbeach.com

Deb Tardiff
Manager of Communications, City of Parksville
dtardiff@parksville.ca