Update – November 22, 2021 – Fuel and Travel Restrictions: Impact to Post-secondary Institutions
A provincial state of emergency was declared on November 17, 2021 because of flooding and landslides that pose a threat to lives, property and infrastructure in the Province.
Temporary Restrictions on Vehicle Fuel Purchases and Travel:
Fuel and travel restrictions were put in place on November 19, 2021 in areas impacted by flooding to ensure the movement of essential goods and services. The Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General issued two new orders under the Emergency Program Act:
- Unless operating an essential vehicle, residents are limited to purchasing 30 litres of fuel per trip to the gas station in five areas: the Lower Mainland, the Sea-to-Sky region, the Sunshine Coast, the Gulf Islands and Vancouver Island. Fuel will be prioritized for essential vehicles until December 1, 2021. A full list of essential vehicles is available here.
- Non-essential travel is prohibited along severely affected highways between the Lower Mainland and the Interior of BC (specific sections of Highways 1, 3, 7, 99).
Considerations for post-secondary institutions include:
- Post-secondary institutions in Southwestern BC should consider deferring all non-essential travel at this time. This may mean postponing some events until the fuel supply challenges have been resolved.
- Where operational requirements permit, these institutions may wish to permit staff to work remotely for the duration of the fuel restrictions to help ease any pressure on fuel supplies.
- Maintaining the continuity of in-person learning remains a key priority, where operationally feasible. There are no plans to direct a shift to remote learning provincially or regionally.
