B.C. flood update: Latest weather forecast, road closures, evacuations

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Barely two weeks after an atmospheric river hit southern B.C. Nov. 14-15, causing evacuations, widespread flooding and mudslides, another storm is set to hit the region. 

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Watch this file for updates and follow along.

To recap our day-by-day flood coverage , read our live blogs that document flood updates and developments in chronological order.

You’re reading: Wednesday, Nov. 24 – present

Part 2: Wednesday, Nov. 17 –  Tuesday, Nov. 23

Part 1: Sunday, Nov. 14 – Tuesday, Nov. 16

For all our coverage on the Fraser Valley flooding and beyond, read our previous stories.

• For the latest road closures, check this DriveBC list .
• For the latest weather warnings, check this Environment Canada page .
• For the latest transit updates, follow TransLink on Twitter
• For the latest on power outages, check out B.C Hydro’s outages page .
• And follow the Twitter hashtag #bcstorm .

FRIDAY, NOV. 26

Trudeau arrives in Abbotsford

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4:30 p.m. – Three B.C. highways to close Saturday to prevent flooding, mudslides

B.C. Ministry’s of Transporation plans to close Highway 3 (between Hope and Princeton), Highway 99 (between Pemberton and Lillooet) and Highway 1 in the Fraser Canyon Saturday afternoon to prevent further danger from incoming rainfall.

“The highway infrastructure in these areas is extremely vulnerable following recent storms, and more heavy rain in the forecast poses an additional risk,” it said in a statement Friday.

It’s unclear exactly what time the closures will begin or how long they will last.

The province says that will depend on the weather, though they will be re-evaluated Sunday morning.

—Sarah Grochowski

1 p.m. – B.C. firms solicited to rebuild flood-hit highways

British Columbia has begun soliciting companies to help rebuild highways ravaged by one of the worst floods on record in the western Canadian province even as impending storms threaten to hinder recovery efforts.

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The province is seeking requests for qualifications from construction and engineering firms to reconstruct two heavily damaged roads, Highway 8 and Highway 1 — the latter a part of the Trans-Canada, the country’s main coast-to-coast highway system.

“When we rebuild, we will rebuild better than it was,” Transportation Minister Rob Fleming told reporters Friday. “Our infrastructure will be rebuilt to withstand the new climate realities that we find ourselves in.”

British Columbia, a major conduit to Asia and home to Canada’s largest port, is in a state of emergency after a so-called once-in-a-century storm washed away chunks of highways and shut down the tracks of both major railways, cutting off the region by land from the rest of the country for days.

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—Bloomberg

12:30 p.m. – ‘We still have dangerous weather ahead,’ says meteorologist

B.C. residents should prepare for more dangerous rainstorms, says one of Canada’s top meteorologists, announcing a red-level weather alert.

Armel Castellan, a warning preparedness meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada, said B.C. is about to be hit with another atmospheric river, a weather system that taps into sub tropical moisture.

He said this system is “extraordinarily strong” and has the potential to be as severe as the one that drenched the South Coast Nov. 13., causing widespread devastation in the forms of floods and deadly mudslides.

“We still have dangerous weather ahead,” he said, at a news briefing on Friday afternoon.

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Armel said the first of three rainstorms hit the coast Thursday brought between 40 and 60 millimetres of rain and even more in Howe Sound. He said these three storms are happening back to back with little time in between and he expects the rain to saturate the ground.

—Tiffany Crawford 

11:30 a.m. – Transportation Minister Rob Fleming warns there could be more flooding and landslides 

B.C.’s Transportation Minister has warned that more extreme rain is on the way on Tuesday and Wednesday, which could cause more flooding and landslides.

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11 a.m. – Abbotsford braces for more rain than initial atmospheric river

Abbotsford Mayor Henry Braun says the city is bracing for more rain in the coming days than the initial atmospheric river earlier this month that caused catastrophic flooding.

At a news conference Friday, Braun said conditions had remained stable with the Barrowtown Pump Station — a four-pump station that keeps the Fraser River out of the Sumas Lake Canal and protects many square kilometres of prime agricultural land.

With the Sumas River stable the floodgates remain fully open dumping water into the Fraser River, he said. However, he cautioned that things could take a turn for the worse.

“We remain very concerned about the coming weather events,” he said.

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Abbotsford received about 50 millimetres of rain overnight, and they are expecting another deluge this weekend.

During the first atmospheric river from Nov. 12 to Nov. 14, Abbotsford received 180 millimetres of rain. Braun said they are expecting 90 to 120 millimetres on Saturday and Sunday and then another 150 millimetres on Tuesday and Wednesday.

—Tiffany Crawford 

5 a.m. – B.C. actor Ryan Reynolds donates to help with flood response

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4:38 a.m. – Rain warning ends, but another alert is posted for heavy rain on the weekend

Environment and Climate Change Canada has lifted a rain warning but has posted another special weather statement to say that more heavy rain is on the way for B.C.’s South Coast Saturday night and Sunday.

The agency is forecasting up to 60 millimetres of rain over the southern sections, up to 80 in Abbotsford and up to 120 millimetres near the mountains.

Rain will begin for most areas Saturday morning but the heaviest rain will be Saturday night, the agency said.

The agency also warns that a strong warming will accompany this system causing snow levels to rise well above the mountain tops Saturday afternoon.

“Snowmelt will contribute to run off, increasing the risk of flooding and possibly impacting vulnerable landscapes and infrastructure,” the alert said.

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THURSDAY, NOV. 25

8:15 p.m. — Trudeau to visit flood-ravaged areas of B.C.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is to be in B.C. Friday to visit areas affected by the flooding and meet with provincial, civic, and First Nation leaders.

Trudeau’s schedule says he will be in the Abbotsford area and will also meet with members of the military, first responders and volunteers.

He is to be in Victoria later in the day to meet with Premier John Horgan.

8:00 p.m. — Southern B.C. braces for back-to-back storms

Up to 50 millimetres predicted to pummel southwest B.C. by Friday morning.

3:15 p.m. —  Gas arrives in Vancouver by barge

Two U.S.-flagged fuel tankers have arrived in Vancouver from Washington state, both were heading toward open ocean from Puget Sound when they turned sharp right to Vancouver.

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2 p.m. Abbotsford Mayor Henry Braun updates flooding

Water levels have remained consistent in Sumas Prairie.

“We’re still moving in a positive direction,” Abbotsford Mayor Henry Braun said at a news conference Thursday. “Although today’s rain has definitely had an impact on the Barrowtown Pump Station’s ability to reduce the flood levels in the eastern portion of Sumas Prairie.”

Water levels are not increasing as a result of the first storm Thursday, which prompted Environment Canada to issue a rainfall warning for the Fraser Valley.

Repairs to a critical dike in Abbotsford by Canadian Armed Forces members are nearing completion.

“Our dikes are now at a level they were at before.”

As many as 1,300 people have registered for emergency support services at Abbotsford’s emergency reception centre at Tradex, run by the city in collaboration with Emergency Support Services BC and Samaritan’s Purse.

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As evacuees wait in the shelter and at friends’ and relatives’ homes, more than 1,500 rapid damage assessments have been undertaken by Canada Task Force 1.

“It’s an important step in determining when evacuation orders can be lifted,” Braun said.  “It is vital that we conduct these rapid assessments so we can ensure that people can return to their homes, barns and businesses as safely as possible.”

More than 1,500 additional safety assessments are expected to be completed in the coming days and weeks.

Braun said the city is also keeping a close eye on the river level predictions for the Nooksack and Sumas rivers with the downpours expected from three atmospheric river storms.

“What I’m worried about is what will the Nooksack do?”

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The city is still unsure how much more water its existing systems, including Barrowtown Pump Station which works to divert water from Yarrow and Sumas Prairie streams and ditches, can take.

“It really depends on the Nooksack. We have a very careful eye on the Nooksack,” Braun said.

— Sarah Grochowski

11:30 a.m. – Be prepared for ‘three big pulses of storms’ ahead, says Farnworth

British Columbians are being urged to prepare for another series of rain storms, as Highway 1 through the Fraser Valley reopens on Thursday afternoon.

Transportation Minister Rob Fleming said geotechnical engineers have confirmed that Highway 1 through the Fraser Valley will reopen to the general public at 2 p.m.

However, he said there will be reduced speed limits and they are recommending people don’t travel if they don’t have to. He cautioned that it may have to close again if the storms affect the highway.

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Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth said B.C. residents should be prepared for “three big pulses of storms” arriving, including one Thursday, another on the weekend, and the third and biggest on Tuesday.

“The time to prepare is now,” he said, during a news conference Thursday afternoon. “I urge all British Columbians to be vigilant.”

He said that includes storm-proofing homes, and clearing clutter and drainages. He urged people not to travel on the highways during these storms, but said those who need to travel should make sure their vehicle has water, blankets and foods.

—Tiffany Crawford

11 a.m. – Spences Bridge residents worry about long-term future after flooding: official

A director with the Thompson-Nicola Regional District says it could be years before some residents of Spences Bridge can return home after flooding and a mudslide hit the area.

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Steven Rice, who is also a farmer from the small community southwest of Kamloops, says he and many other residents were forced to flee their properties with little more than the clothes on their backs.

He says the Nicola River, which runs along flood-damaged Highway 8, has changed course and left some farms underwater.

The flooding hit on Nov. 15, with a subsequent mudslide wiping out the highway and destroying or damaging dozens of properties in the area.

B.C.’s Ministry of Transportation did not return an immediate request for comment on an estimate on how long repairs to the highway would take.

Rice says the federal and provincial governments need to increase relief efforts and help winterize affected properties to ensure no more damage takes place.

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Rice says the damage is particularly hard as many residents rely on farming and hunting to survive.

—The Canadian Press

10 a.m. – Tide provides free laundry services for people displaced by flooding

Tide and its partner, GlobalMedic are providing free, full-service laundry at Downtown McCleaners, located at 437 Seymour Street in Kamloops to help people displaced by floods.

They are also offering this service at at Tradex, located at 1190 Cornell Street in Abbotsford.

The Tide Loads of Hope services will allow those displaced by the floods, as well the disaster relief responders, to drop off their laundry to be washed, dried and folded, free of charge.

Staff expect to stay for about two to three weeks or until the immediate needs of the local population are met.

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9:05 a.m. – B.C. government tweets out new photos of flood and mudslide repair work

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6:30 a.m. – Line of storms approaches as B.C. works to recover from recent floods

A line of storms is forecast to sweep across British Columbia as the province works to rebuild from devastating flooding and deadly mudslides last week that destroyed parts of major highways, rail lines, and farmland.

Wind and rainfall warnings blanketed most of the B.C. coast and come after about a dozen so-called atmospheric rivers have saturated land in the province since September.

Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth says even routine rainfall may cause already swollen rivers to rise to dangerous heights and he urged residents to prepare for evacuations and watch for updates.

He says the government is making headway on recovery since last week’s floods, with supply chains stabilizing, gas shortages starting to ease and some evacuees allowed to return to their homes.

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The major arterial supply route of Highway 1 through the Fraser Valley was on track to reopen Thursday, while Canadian Pacific Railway announced the first trains have arrived in Vancouver from Kamloops carrying grain and fuel.

—The Canadian Press

5:06 – Rainfall warning in effect

Environment and Climate Change Canada has posted a rainfall warning for Metro Vancouver, including the North Shore, and the Fraser Valley and Howe Sound.

Up to 50 millimetres of rain is expected today and tonight over the southern sections of the region while the mountainous regions could see up to 80 millimetres.

The agency says southeast winds are also forecast near the water today, and adds the rain storm should ease tonight as the system moves out of the region.

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This storm will be shorter lived and less intense than the event from Nov. 13 to Nov. 15, however, it will still bring moderate to heavy rain and strong winds, according to the agency.

The agency warned freezing levels will rise above mountain tops, and could worsen recent flooding and impact vulnerable landscapes and infrastructure.

Localized flooding in low-lying areas is possible.

—Tiffany Crawford

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5 a.m. – Highway 1 between to reopen at 2 p.m. between Abbotsford and Chilliwack

Highway 1 is expected to reopen this afternoon, connecting motorists between Abbotsford and Chilliwack to the rest of the province.

“We’re pleased to report that some critical temporary repairs are now completed and water levels continue to recede,” said Transportation Minister Fleming at a Wednesday press conference.

The stretch of freeway through the Fraser Valley has been closed for nearly a week due to extreme flooding.

He noted that crews are currently clearing debris in the final stages before reopening. “We know that people in this region need to travel around, this will provide significant relief,” said Flemming.

— Sarah Grochowski

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WEDNESDAY, NOV. 24

3 p.m. – Abbotsford upgrades water advisory in Sumas Prairie

Abbotsford has upgraded a boil water advisory that was issued for the Sumas Prairie last week to a “Do Not Use Water Notice”, Mayor Henry Braun said Wednesday.

“It is being put in place due to continued uncontrollable water-main breaches that could allow surface water to enter the drinking water system,” Braun said.

The advisory is expected to be in place for several days and covers the area bound by Angus Campbell Drive in the west, Highway 1 to the north, the Chilliwack border to the east and Canada/US border to the south.

At this time water can only be used for flushing.

Braun said repairs to the dike system that cups the western edge of the Sumas Prairie was 90 per cent complete, as the region braces for another set of storms.

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1:20 p.m. Highway 1 between expected to reopen Thursday

Highway 1 is expected to reopen tomorrow, connecting motorists between Abbotsford and Chilliwack to the rest of the province.

“We’re pleased to report that some critical temporary repairs are now completed and water levels continue to recede,” said Transportation Minister Fleming at a Wednesday press conference.

The stretch of freeway through the Fraser Valley has been closed for nearly a week due to extreme flooding.

He noted that crews are currently clearing debris in the final stages before reopening. “We know that people in this region need to travel around, this will provide significant relief,” said Flemming.

— Sarah Grochowski

1 p.m. – Province launches call line for people in need of flood-related information

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The province has introduced a new resource to provide British Columbians with information on floods, both current and incoming.

The Service B.C. phone line will have operators equipped with knowledge of emergency mental health, agricultural and financial supports available as well as road conditions, said Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth. The number to call, 1-833-376-2452, is reachable seven days a week from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

— Sarah Grochowski

12:30 p.m. – RCMP search for missing woman; River Forecast Centre warns of high river flows

Wind and rainfall warnings blanketed most of British Columbia’s coast on Wednesday as what Environment Canada calls a “parade” of storms was expected to sweep over areas of the province already struggling to recover from devastating flooding.

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The alerts come as the number of people confirmed killed or missing in the floods rose to six, with the RCMP saying officers are investigating a report of a missing woman who was unable to leave a home on Highway 8 before it was washed away last week. Four bodies have been recovered from a mudslide along Highway 99 near Lillooet and one man is still missing.

The centre that monitors the province’s waterways said several atmospheric rivers will drench B.C., dropping up to 70 millimetres of rain over the Fraser Valley, including Abbotsford, by Thursday and even more over Vancouver’s North Shore mountains.

The statement from the River Forecast Centre said another storm will arrive Saturday and “additional storms are expected early next week,” although the amount and severity of rainfall is still being determined.

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The centre issued high streamflow advisories for waterways along the entire length of B.C.’s coast and was maintaining a flood warning for the Sumas River and Sumas Prairie around Abbotsford. It said rivers were expected to rise on Thursday with the potentially highest flows expected around the Sunshine Coast, Howe Sound and North Shore corridor.

Rivers in the Fraser Valley would rise by amounts similar to typical fall storms but could be “more problematic due to flood response and recovery efforts and damaged infrastructure in the region,” it said.

— The Canadian Press

11:30 a.m. – B.C. Hydro gear up for new rain while cleanup from last storm still underway

B.C. Hydro is gearing up for the upcoming storm even as it works to repair damaged infrastructure from the last storm.

The atmospheric river that hit B.C. on Nov. 13 to 15 caused power outages to more than 258,000 people in the province, said B.C. Hydro president Chris O’Riley in a statement.

“B.C. Hydro crews continue to assess the damage from the last week’s storms. Costs are expected be in the millions and we are gearing up for more extreme weather.”

Crews have restored power to all customers who were impacted by power outages last week, except for households still under evacuation order.

The storm also caused record high inflows into hydro reservoirs, which are already full ahead of the coming rain.

Staff are monitoring water levels and are “proactively releasing water from some reservoirs to create space,” said the power company.

Crews are also continuing to repair infrastructure damaged by heavy wind, landslides and flooding across the province. The damage is significant. As one example, along Highway 9, crews need to replace 87 power poles and 14 transformers.

B.C. Hydro is reminding people to stay away from rivers as flows can change rapidly, be prepared for power outages, and keep their distance from fallen power lines.

— Cheryl Chan

9:30 a.m. – B.C. SPCA offers half-price adoption to free up space for displaced animals

Dozens of animals displaced by flooding have been temporarily turned over to the care of the B.C. SPCA.

There are about 55 animals needing emergency boarding at SPCA facilities right now with more requests pouring in, said spokeswoman Lorie Chortyk on Wednesday.

The non-profit organization offers free temporary boarding for pets who have been displaced by natural disasters, including the floods that have hit parts of the Fraser Valley and B.C. Interior.

“We are offering boarding for as long as people need it,” said Chortyk. “They can come visit their pets anytime. People are just going through so much and we want to provide any support we can.”

Many of the animals are coming in to the SPCA’s Lower Mainland shelters from families affected by the Abbotsford flood and to the Kamloops shelter, which is serving evacuees from Merritt.

In order to free up space to house as many animals requiring temporary boarding, the SPCA is holding a half-price adoption promotion until Dec. 8.

The promotion applies to all animals across the province, with the exception of SPCA branches in Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Prince Rupert, Haida Gwaii and 100 Mile House.

Adoption fees range from $10 to $300 depending on location and type of animals. The fees help offset the cost of care of the animals turned into the shelter. To adopt, visit the B.C. SPCA website .

The SPCA is also handing out free crates, pet food, leashes and other supplies through Emergency Support Services (ESS) centres. Anyone who needs support or animal rescue can call the SPCA call centre at 1-855-622-7722.

— Cheryl Chan

7 a.m. – Another storm to hit B.C., bringing more rain to flood-ravaged communities

British Columbia is bracing for more rain this week even as thousands of residents hard hit by last week’s storm remain out of their homes.

Environment Canada said another atmospheric river is expected to hit the B.C. south coast Wednesday night, dumping up to 80 millimetres of rain.

It has issued a rainfall warning for Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley and Howe Sound, saying a new round of heavy rain is on the way.

“The next nine or 10 days could be quite challenging,” said Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth at a news conference Tuesday, asking residents to pay close attention to the weather forecasts.

The rain is expected to arrive Wednesday night, with the heaviest precipitation falling on Thursday before easing later that night.

Some sections of Metro Vancouver and Howe Sound will get up to 80 mm of rain by Thursday night, while the Fraser Valley will see 50 to 70 mm by Friday morning.

Freezing levels will rise to above mountain tops on Thursday, which could trigger snowmelt and worsen recent flooding, said the weather agency.

This storm is not expected to be as intense as the atmospheric river on Nov. 13 to 15 that brought a heavy deluge that triggered landslides and flooding  and forced evacuations in the Fraser Valley and the Interior.

Environment Canada also warned of potential heavy snowfall on the Sea-to-Sky Highway between Squamish and Whistler.

Up to 15 cm of heavy wet snow could fall on the highway starting Wednesday night. That snow will turn to rain Thursday when freezing levels rise.

The weather agency said there are uncertainties around the precipitation amounts, and warned drivers to monitor forecasts at DriveBC and be prepared for potentially hazardous driving conditions on mountain roads.

— Cheryl Chan

6 a.m. – ‘It was devastating’: B.C. woman shares story of flood damage to family farm

Tiffany de Leeuw says her in-laws realized the gravity of the disaster facing their farm on the Sumas Prairie when a field flooded in 30 minutes.

She said her father-in-law and brother-in-law quickly set out with cattle trailers on the first day of the flooding to save animals boarding on the property while other relatives worked to build dikes to protect their third-generation farm.

But de Leeuw said her father-in-law admitted defeat in trying to save the farm by a text message a short while later.

“We turned the hydro off. We lost,” she said he wrote in the text.

The property is primarily used for feed storage, growing crops and raising livestock, with others renting parts of it to run their own businesses.

“It was devastating watching my family lose their homes and livelihoods and basically just stand there in shock like ‘What just hit us?”‘ de Leeuw said on Tuesday. “Last week was just horrible.”

The farm is one of hundreds damaged or destroyed by flooding last week in the low-lying Sumas Prairie region of Abbotsford. The area is home to much of B.C.’s agricultural production.

It was one of the hardest hit parts of the province by storms that dumped an unprecedented amount of rain, triggering evacuations and mudslides that cut off highways.

 — The Canadian Press

12 a.m. – Devastated by flood, a rural Abbotsford neighbourhood soldiers on

George Petersen is a big, strong guy. But the Fraser Valley flood has left him utterly exhausted.

For a week, he’s been cleaning up a massive mess left from flood waters that inundated his property on rural Arnold Road in Abbotsford.

It’s a 24-hour job — he’s been sleeping in his puffy grey jacket in his truck on his property.

“I’ve been standing on guard all night,” he said. “Every hour and 20 minutes, I’ve got to put gas in the pumps to keep the water out, and I sleep in my truck so no one loots us.”

Petersen has set up a giant pump that he’s paying for himself to try to drain the water in the neighbourhood before the next rainstorm.

“The city hasn’t been able to help us,” Petersen said Monday afternoon. “It’s all flooded out here, because it’s all backed up. The city hasn’t been out. They’ve tried but they can’t get (ditches) unplugged. So I went and got a big six-inch diesel pump, and it’s now pumping all of Arnold.

He shook his head. Standing on the grounds of a nearby church that has become an impromptu garbage dump, he answered questions stoically, as if he’s completely drained.

“We’ve got no help,” said Petersen, who owns an excavation and landscaping company. “You think they would drop (portable) toilets here and stuff. We don’t even have a washroom. Everybody’s struggling. I feel like the city’s really shit the bed here.”

His losses might be half a million dollars, maybe more.

Read more HERE .

— John Mackie

12 a.m. – Flood evacuees eligible for $2,000 grant

Close to $12 million in grants will be available to people forced out of their homes due to the unprecedented mid-November storm, Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth said Tuesday.

The $2,000 a household would be available to occupants of 5,725 homes evacuated Nov. 14-16 — primarily in Merritt, Abbotsford and Princeton — after an atmospheric river dumped heavy across the province’s southwest.

The grant amount will not vary according to the size of an evacuated household.

When Farnworth announced a provincial state of emergency on Nov. 17, he said that 17,775 people had been evacuated, including the whole city of Merritt with 7,000 people.

As of Tuesday night, there are 3,792 homes still under evacuation order in the southwest B.C. region and 415 in the central region, that includes Lillooet.

In a statement, Red Cross Canada said the money would come half from the provincial government and half from people who donated to the organization’s B.C. flooding and extreme weather appeal.

The grant will not affect other supports through the provincial Emergency Support Services program. That program is funded through Emergency Management B.C. and provides short-term help to people hit by disaster.

Farnworth said that money would also be made available for students at Nicola Valley Institute and the University of the Fraser Valley affected by floods, through a separate program.

— David Carrigg

12 a.m. – Refinery that supplies estimated one-third of Lower Mainland gas runs out of crude oil

A refinery that supplies an estimated one-third of the gas to the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island said Tuesday it has stopped processing operations because it had run out of crude oil due to the Trans Mountain pipeline shutdown after last week’s catastrophic flooding.

Calgary-based Parkland Corp.’s Burnaby refinery is now in “standby mode,” so that it can resume processing quickly once new shipments of crude arrive via the pipeline or rail.

“Parkland maintains some crude-oil storage on-site, so up until today, it has been able to continue operations,” said Kent Fellows, a professor at the University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy.

He said there is storage of crude oil as well as gasoline and diesel in the Lower Mainland that can be relied upon in the short run, but he hasn’t been able to find data on how much storage there is or how full it was before the flooding.

Three of the main ways gas is supplied to the Lower Mainland and elsewhere in B.C. were disrupted by the flooding.

“Trans Mountain would also normally be shipping about 27,000 barrels per day of gasoline and diesel from refineries near Edmonton to the Lower Mainland in B.C.,” said Fellows.

U.S. imports are still running, but they usually only account for 12 per cent of the total gas supply, an estimate Fellows based on his analysis of information from a recent B.C. Utilities Commission report. It’s a much smaller base amount even as there are reports of barges with gasoline heading to B.C. from the U.S.

Read more HERE .

— Joanne Lee-Young

12 a.m. – Ottawa clarifies COVID-19 travel exemption on B.C.-U.S. border during floods

The federal minister of emergency preparedness says border guards have been advised that British Columbia residents can cross into the United States for essential supplies because of flooding in the province after some were reportedly facing fines or told they would have to quarantine on returning to Canada.

Bill Blair said Tuesday the circumstances of those who received tickets for allegedly violating quarantine restrictions is also being reviewed by the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Ottawa approved an exemption from the B.C. government for travellers from specific areas along its south coast to travel to the U.S. to purchase gas or essential supplies and immediately return to Canada without providing a negative PCR test for the virus that causes COVID-19.

A statement from the Canada Border Services Agency says there can be a transition period that “may lead to some inconsistencies” when operational guidelines are changed.

Denis Vinette, vice-president of the travellers branch and COVID task force at the agency, said “a couple dozen” individuals were fined during a 24-hour period, although he did not have an exact number.

Vinette confirmed individuals crossing the border for essentials are no longer being referred for a fine.

The Public Health Agency of Canada said in a statement Tuesday that they reviewed 30 tickets that had been issued in the region over a 24-hour period and have rescinded 16 of them, saying 14 were duly issued Monday.

“PHAC continues to review all tickets issued since the beginning of the emergency situation in B.C. to ensure that PHAC officers used their full discretion when deciding the best instrument to enforce the Quarantine Act,” the statement said.

The agency said travellers who received a ticket but believe their circumstances warranted the use of an emergency exemption are advised to contest it.

Click here for B.C. flood updates from before Tuesday, Nov. 23.