B.C. announcing COVID-19 relief for businesses Thursday
CTV
The B.C. government is preparing to announce supports for businesses impacted by the province's latest COVID-19 restrictions.
The B.C. government is preparing to announce supports for businesses impacted by the province's latest COVID-19 restrictions.
Jobs Minister Ravi Kahlon is scheduled to speak at a news conference at 10 .m. Thursday. CTV News will be streaming the event live.
The latest COVID-19 measures announced by provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry have forced bars, nightclubs, gyms, fitness centres and dance studios to close over concerns about the rapidly spreading Omicron variant.
The Fitness Industry Council of Canada said the closure orders, which are expected to remain in place until Jan. 18, will "bankrupt many fitness establishments," and questioned the government's justification for the decision.
"We have heard from many of our members, who report hundreds of thousands of member check-ins at their gyms during 2021 – and from our data, few or no COVID transmissions," council spokesperson Erin Phelan said in an email. "Where is the data that COVID is being spread in gyms?"
While Ottawa has announced help for businesses, the Surrey Board of Trade says there is no immediate relief, and that is turning a normally prosperous time of year into one filled with anxiety and uncertainty.
Since Omicron arrived in Canada, COVID-19 case numbers have skyrocketed across the country. Wednesday saw 14,995 infections reported over a single day, the highest national total since the start of the pandemic.
