Province-wide restrictions

For most people, their core bubble is their immediate household. An immediate household is a group of people who live in the same residence. For example:

• If you have a rental suite in your home, the suite is a separate residence
• If you live in an apartment or house with roommates, you are all members of the same household

For people who live alone, a core bubble is a maximum of two people you see regularly.

The order does not impact arrangements where children are occupants of two separate households. Children may go back and forth between the two residences.

For those who rely on a family member or close friends for support with things like picking up children after school or delivering essential items like mail, medication or groceries, these activities can continue.

Welcoming your child home from university is okay. This is not a social gathering. 

People who live alone may have up to two visitors inside their residence for a social purpose. These are the two people in your core bubble.

• If those two people regularly interact with each other, they may visit the residence of the person who lives alone at the same time

People who live alone may also visit one other residence with more than one occupant. 

Cultural events and gatherings are prohibited. For example:
 

• Musical or theatre performances
• Galas
• Silent auctions
• Movie viewings in cinemas

Drive-in events

Drive-in events may proceed with a limited number of people. Drive-in events can have a maximum of 50 cars in attendance. People must stay in their cars and should attend with their household or core bubble. Drive-in events must have a COVID-19 Safety Plan in place.

Examples of drive-in events:
 

• Drive-in movies
• Religious services

Drop-off events

Drop-off events may proceed with a COVID-19 Safety Plan in place.

Examples of drop-off events:
 

• Fundraisers
• Toy drives

All drive-in and drop-off events must:
 

• Maintain physical distancing 
• Control the entry and exit points
• Avoid congestion of cars and congregating of people

The order restricts most formal in-person meetings outside the workplace, with some exceptions including:
 

• The B.C. legislature and cabinet meetings
• City council meetings. It is recommended virtual meetings be held as much as possible. The public is not allowed to attend
• Support groups like Alcoholics and Narcotics Anonymous
• Critical service meetings

Indoor funerals, weddings and baptisms may proceed with a limited number of people and a COVID-19 Safety Plan in place. You can have a maximum of 10 people attend, including the officiant. Review BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) information on event planning.
 

• The event organizer and staff present at the event are not included in the 10 people limit
• If the event organizer also acts as the officiant, that person is included in the 10 people limit

Receptions associated with funerals, weddings or baptisms are not allowed inside homes or venues.

Indoor in-person religious gatherings and worship services of any size are prohibited.

• You must not attend a service at a church, synagogue, mosque, gudwara, temple or other place of worship
• Religious services can continue using remote or virtual attendance options, like Zoom or Skype

You can still visit your place of worship for individual activities such as guidance from spiritual leaders, contemplation or personal prayer.

Religious leaders may attend the home of a member of their religious community to provide religious services to the occupant.

You can attend an outdoor religious gathering.

Meals for people in need may proceed with a limited number of people and a COVID-19 Safety Plan in place. You can have a maximum of 50 people in attendance in addition to the organizer and people assisting. This includes:
 

• Soup kitchens
• Meals at shelters
• Charities offering meals

Pre-packaged meals are the best option to limit gatherings inside a dining area.
 

• Review BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) information on food banks and food distribution

Funerals conducted by a religious body may be held outdoors (including in open-sided tents and under overhead coverings). Before, during and after the funeral service, people must not gather or socially engage.

• Up to 50 people may attend, plus 2 extra people to make sure rules are followed

• Read the Variance: Outdoor Worship Services – March 23, 2021 (PDF, 250KB)

Religious worship services may be held outdoors (including in open-sided tents and under overhead coverings). Before, during and after the service, people must not gather or socially engage.

• Up to 50 people may attend, plus 2 extra people to make sure rules are followed
• Participants must be 2 metres apart unless they live in the same private residence
• Drive-in worship events can continue to operate (No more than 50 vehicles may be present, and people who attend in a vehicle must remain in the vehicle)
• Musical groups of up to 5 musicians may perform
• The only people who can sing are soloists and worship leaders. The only people who can chant are worship leaders

Masks are required at all times by everyone in attendance.

• Masks can only be removed by soloists (when singing), worship leaders (when speaking, singing or chanting), readers (when reading out loud), or musicians who need to do so to play their instrument. They must maintain 3 metres of spacing or use a physical barrier
• Masks are not required for people who can’t wear a mask due to a condition or impairment or kids under the age of 12

Organizers must:

• Collect information for contract tracing
• Supply hand sanitizer
• Caution those at risk, including seniors and those with underlying medical conditions or compromised immune systems, from attending

The limited operation of perimeter seating vehicles and buses is permitted, subject to restrictions respecting hours of operation and distancing of passengers.

Rental and home viewings should be restricted to a maximum of six people, subject to each person present  being able to keep two metres away from every other person present at all times.

Retail businesses are required to:
 

• Establish capacity limits based on 5 square metres of unencumbered space per person
• Post occupancy limits
• Where practical, post directional signs to keep people moving in the same direction and not congregating

A workplace that has workers testing positive for COVID-19 and public health confirming transmission has occurred in the work environment may be ordered to close for a minimum of 10 days.

• Review the PHO Delegation: Workplace Closures (PDF, 319KB)

For larger workplaces, the closure may be restricted to the locations where transmission has occurred.

Exceptions will be made for workplaces like:

• Police stations and fire halls
• Healthcare facilities, schools, shelters
• Ferry system and public transportation
• Distribution hubs of necessary goods such as food and medicine

Employers must make every effort to provide work from home options.  

Structured extracurricular activities and programs for children or youth 21 years of age and younger can continue to operate with a COVID-19 Safety Plan in place. They must be supervised by an adult. These include:
 

• Education programs
• Music
• Art
• Dance
• Drama
• Outdoor exercise
• Recreational programs

Structured extracurricular activities and programs for children or youth are subject to a 50 person limit.

Performances, recitals and demonstrations are not allowed. 

High performance athletes already training in B.C. as of November 19, 2020 can train, travel and compete together. They must follow the COVID-19 safety protocols of the provincial or national sports organization they are affiliated with.

To qualify as a high-performance athlete, you must be identified by the Canadian Sports Institute Pacific as a high-performance athlete affiliated with an accredited provincial or national sports organization.

Spectators are not allowed at any sport activities. The only people allowed to attend sport activities are those that provide care to a participant or player. For example, providing personal care or first aid to a player.

Travel for athletic activities like games, competitions, training and practice is prohibited. This includes:

• A hockey player travelling from Vernon to Penticton to participate on their spring hockey team
• A softball player traveling from Kamloops to Vancouver to participate on their rep team
• A dancer travelling from Langley to Whistler to participate in a virtual competition

Participants can travel to their home club if their home club is outside of their immediate community. That club needs to be close to a participant's residence, like a neighbouring community. For example:

• A skier part of the local ski club travelling to their local mountain, which may be in a neighbouring community
• An archer travelling to a neighbouring community because their community does not have an archery club
• A high-performance athlete travelling to a nearby community to receive specialized training