Today, the Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General announced new travel restrictions. 
 
These restrictions are about keeping people safe and healthy. As we continue to roll out our vaccination program, limiting non-essential travel will help us to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in the province.
 
Most British Columbians have been working hard to stop the spread of COVID-19 by following public health advice to stay in their communities and avoiding non-essential travel. 
 
But we need to do more to discourage travel.
 
This order will limit travel into and out of three regional zones in the province:

1. Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley
2. Vancouver Island
3. Northern and Interior (this includes Hope and the Bella Coola Valley and Central Coast)

The order is designed to discourage and stop recreational and leisure travel – not punish people. The order does not restrict essential travel between regional zones – including for work, for school and to help care for a sick loved one.
 
As Dr. Henry says, staying in our local communities means we are not going to and from COVID hotspots and inadvertently bringing the virus along with us.
 
I encourage everyone to visit www.gov.bc.ca/covidtravel to see the full details of the travel restrictions.
 
My office is available to help answer your questions by phone at 250-479-4154 or email at Lana.Popham.MLA@leg.bc.ca.

Thank you for doing your part to help keep BC safe.
Sincerely,