EMO News Release - December 15, 2020

Home for the Holidays
Thank you for doing your part to keep us all safe. 2020 has been a challenging year and we are encouraged to see a vaccine on the horizon. Thank you for your support of EMO and we look forward to sharing emergency preparedness information with you in 2021. On behalf of the EMO team and the Councils and staff of the Town of Qualicum Beach and City of Parksville, we wish you a most wonderful holiday season and a safe and healthy 2021.

COVID-19 Update
Recent COVID-19 measures, which prohibit gatherings and events as well as meeting with people outside of your immediate household, have been extended until midnight, January 8.

Province-wide restrictions:

• Masks are required in British Columbia in all public indoor settings and workplaces.
• Spend time with those in your household or core bubble only.
• Explore close to home and avoid non-essential travel.
• Enjoy a walk or hike with a friend, but do not gather outdoors.

The extended measures mean there will be no multi-household Christmas dinners, Hanukkah celebrations or New Year's Eve gatherings. People who live alone may form a bubble with another unit, but everyone else is asked to stick to their immediate household. Some drive-through, drive-in and drop-off events with COVID safety plans are allowed with up to 50 people who must stay inside their vehicles. Schools will remain open until their usual holiday break time.

On the fitness front, spin classes, hot yoga and high intensity interval training (HIIT) are suspended indefinitely. Other activities, such as gymnastics, dance studios, martial arts, yoga, pilates, strength and conditioning and cheerleading are on pause until new guidance is developed. Regular gyms and individual training may stay open. All adult indoor and outdoor team sports also remain banned, while youth sports have returned to phase two of ViaSport’s Return to Sport guidelines.

These restrictions will help to keep our businesses and schools open and our hospitals and communities safe. Thank you for continuing to do your part to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Most recent info at gov.bc.ca/COVID19.

Spend an hour in January with EMO Emergency Preparedness Coordinators
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed so much about the way we live and work and for our emergency program coordinators, engaging the community is no exception. Without pandemic restrictions in place, our EPCs would be working in the community, meeting with residents and neighbourhood groups to talk about emergency preparedness.

So, we'd like to reach out virtually and hope you will consider spending an hour or so on Zoom with Aaron and Rob who promise to have a smile on their faces to help with those January blahs. We will be hosting a Zoom meeting on January 13 at 2 pm to chat about emergency preparedness and also answer your questions.

Please email info@emergencyoceanside.ca if you wish to participate. A few days before the meeting, you will receive the Zoom instructions by email. Please be advised, the meeting is a closed event; however, your screen name will be visible to the other participants. Because there is a limit on the number of participants, we will host additional Zoom meetings if we are not able to accommodate everyone on January 13.

To join, you will need a computer with an internet connection and can join the meeting in the following ways:

• Computer with camera and microphone - click the link provided.
• Computer with camera and no microphone - click link and call the phone number provided.
• Computer with no camera or no microphone - call the phone number provided.

If you have specific subjects for discussion or questions you would like answered, please send those along as well (info@emergencyoceanside.ca) and we will do our best to provide the information. We look forward to connecting with you, virtually!

FROM THE TOWN OF QUALICUM BEACH
Town Hall remains open to the public Monday to Friday, 9 am to 1 pm (except statutory holidays). Town staff are available via email or phone until 4pm, Monday to Friday.

While we are happy to help in person where needed, we encourage you to conduct business remotely where possible. You can contact us via any of the following methods:

• 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

Please note, Town Hall is closed for the holidays on December 24, December 25 and January 1.

FROM THE CITY OF PARKSVILLE
City offices will be closed on Friday, December 25 and Monday, December 28 for the Christmas holidays and on Friday, January 1 for the New Year's Day holiday. City offices will be open on December 24, 29, 30 and 31.

Currently, working within COVID-19 restrictions, the City's finance department is open Monday to Friday, 9 am to noon and 1 pm to 3 pm. Please continue to access our services electronically. All other City business is by appointment and walk-in services are not available. To book an appointment, phone 250 248-6144 or contact City staff by email or phone.

The City's operations department is on call during all non-working hours, including weekends and holidays. For afterhours operations emergency, residents should call 250 248-6144 (4 pm to 8 am, Monday to Friday and weekends and holidays).

For information, contact:

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

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

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