Provincial Emergency Order instructs BC Ferries to provide assured loading for medical patients

Medical patients travelling to Prince Rupert or Terrace from Haida Gwaii
or the Central Coast will be guaranteed priority boarding on the
first available BC Ferry following a new emergency order from the BC Government today

Travellers using BC Ferries vessels to get to medical appointments have been given the assurance that they will be assured loading on the first available vessel, with Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth outlining the details today from Victoria.

“As the Province’s safe restart plan continues and use of ferry services increases, we are updating ministerial orders under the Emergency Program Act. These new provisions will ensure that medical-assured loading is protected for people travelling by ferry for medical treatment. BC Ferries will also continue to give priority to vehicles carrying essential goods and supplies, and will need to consult the Province before changing or varying minimum ferry service levels.”

To access the priority loading process, passengers will be required to provide a doctor's letter that indicates that the individual requires medical assured loading at check in, as well, passengers/patients will be required to complete the Travel Assistance Program form.

The doctor’s letter does not require a specific date or time, or number of occasions the person travelling requires medical-assured loading to receive medical treatment, but may specify a period of time of up to one year from the date of the letter within which the individual requires medical-assured loading.

The Minister also announced that the province had rescinded some other COVID related measures, including priority access for those sailing to their primary residence,  the need for local authorities to implement an emergency plan and to rescind the setting aside of any Local Emergency declarations by local government, but only for emergencies outside of the scope of COVID.

More on today's announcement can be explored here.

For more notes related to Provincial Government initiatives see our archive page here.

Cross posted from the North Coast Review.