D'Arcy McGee

Thursday, April 2, 2020

Victoria Viewpoints: Thursday, April 2, 2020

Our compilation of some of the stories of note from the day, reviewing the political developments from the Provincial scene for Thursday, April 2, 2020

Coronavirus response in BC

BC firefighters ordered to attend immediately life-threatening calls only
Provincial health ministries rushing to source unused ventilators to prepare for COVID-19 spike
Premiers pull together over shortage of COVID-19 medical supplies
BC reports 6 new deaths, case confirmed at Okanagan jail
City of Vancouver temporarily lays off 1,500 workers due to COVID-19 crisis
121K BC hospitality workers off the job, 28% of restaurants risk going under: survey
Hospital staff set up Vancouver Convention Centre in case COVID-19 worsens
Agriculture worker conditions in Okanagan a 'ticking time bomb' for COVID-19: advocate group
Recent EI beneficiaries to move to federal coronavirus emergency benefit - and many will get a raise
Opposition politicians strive for relevance in the world of coronavirus politics
Quebecers flouting coronavirus rules can expect heft fines, premier warns
Ontarions required to identify themselves if charged with breaching emergency order
Fifteen cases of COVID-19 in Indigenous communities to date, Canadian minister reports
'There's never been such a demand': Central Okanagan Food Bank's urgent appeal for help BC Gives $200 Monthly boost to people on income, disability assistance
Canada Faces Med Gear Shortage. Today's Ten Top Web Links
How BC's medical resources stack up
China and the Pandemic: Talking with Historian Timothy Brook
Six new deaths, enforcement guidelines, non-essential travel within province discouraged, and more
Vancouver Courier ceases producing print edition ... for time being
Vancouver Courier temporarily ceasing publication
Six more BC deaths since Wednesday
Musqueam set up checkpoints to prevent spread of COVID-19
Let refugees in during pandemic: rights groups
Questioning WHO and China virus data feeds conspiracy theories: Health Minister Hajdu
Alternate non COVID medical care site at Vancouver Convention Centre to be operational by April 8
BC city halls are shrinking but some have bigger reserves to fall on
BC''s provincial health officer says to plan for virtual, Easter, Ramadan, Passover
6 more COVID-19 patients die in BC, for a total of 31, case confirmed at Okanagan jail
'Absolutely safe' for nurses to wear same mask for hours while seeing COVID-19 patients, top doctor says
Kept apart from elderly family in care home, a BC family waits anxiously
Coastal communities call for travel restrictions as visitors trickle in
Union pushes for outbreak protocol as 1 inmate tests positive for COVID-19 in Okanagan jail
New study from UBC researcher outlines pathway toward blocking COVID-19 virus
271 hospital beds to be set up at Vancouver Convention Centre for non-COVID patients
BC Health officials say plan for virtual religious celebrations as Easter, Passover and Ramadan approach
$300 monthly aid announced for British Columbians on income, disability assistance during COVID-19
Next 'critical' two weeks will reveal whether BC's distancing measures are working: experts
Protect your loved ones, don't travel even within BC, officials say
Vancouver lays off 1,500 city workers
Vancouver Convention Centre will be a hospital by Wednesday
BC schools work to put students on even footing while learning at home
BC government announces $300 supplement in support of people on income and disability assistance
It's absurd to ignore foreign trained doctor's offers to help with the COVID crisis
Dix talks tougher than Trudeau about safe ways to bring Canadians home
First COVID-19 deaths reported on Vancouver Island as BC cases pass 1,100
Camosun team ramping up thousands of face shields for health care workers
Task force to lead BC through pitfalls, recovery, of COVID-19 pandemic
Langford is breaking ranks with virus test
An ode to Bonnie Henry, on guitar and standup bass
Health care workers gain access to virtual health care options
Vancouver Island seniors die in hospital due to COVID-19
Sooke mom faces 'pandemic police' for bringing kids to the grocery store
BC's Senior home staff measures show results in COVID-19 battle
BC adding $300 to monthly income and disability assistance payments

Globe and Mail

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CBC

Disability advocate denounces TransLInk change in front-facing wheelchair spots
1500 city workers laid off in Vancouver, 2,000 in Surrey, 500 in Delta

Vancouver Sun

Vancouver Province

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Victoria Times Colonist

Greater Victoria real estate 'in uncharted territory'

Victoria News

Global BC

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Georgia Straight

Focus on the lessons that matter for kids

Vancouver Courier

BC launches economic recovery task force
Stop Downtown Eastside 'over policing' during pandemic, VPD urged

The Tyee

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Miscellaneous

Ottawa Observations: Thursday, April 2, 2020

Our compilation of some of the stories of note from the day, reviewing the political developments from the Federal scene for Thursday, April 2, 2020

Canadians held in China / China tensions

British tabs hype China's 'reckoning' and rejection of Huawei

The Global Coronavirus (COVID-19)

WHO's early coronavirus response raises awkward questions about Beijing relationship
Why is Sweden staying open amid the coronavirus pandemic?
India to end three-week coronavirus lockdown in phases, Modi says
Care homes across Canada desperate for staff amid COVID-19 outbreak turn to librarians, museum workers
Health Minister says Canada has no evidence that China is under-reporting virus impact
BC firefighters ordered to attend immediately life-threatening calls only
Provincial health ministries rushing to source unused ventilators to prepare for COVID-19 spike
If you can get your relatives out of seniors' homes, try do so as fast as you can
If COVID-19 is a test of our humanity, abandoning the sick at sea is a failure
Ottawa continues to keep Canadians in the dark about potential impact of coronavirus
Military ready to respond to outbreak of COVID-19 in isolated Indigenous and northern communities
In Canada's fight against the coronavirus, the U.S. border remains a problem
Bring on the projections - and the caveats: COVID 19 models are a complicated truth
Trudeau vows better gathering and release of pandemic data
Premiers pull together over shortage of COVID-19 medical supplies
Calls mount for Ottawa to release projections on COVID-19 spread
GST rebate targeting low income Canadians impacted by COVID-19 will arrive a month early
COVID-19 cases in First Nations spur leaders to call for field hospitals
Canadians want to know how bad this could get. Is anyone ready to tell us?
Ottawa nurse says pandemic panic has left her homeless
Tax collectors, auditors to help field 'historic' numbers of benefit-seeking callers
Canada and the U.S. are implementing the non-essential ban in very different ways
Reservists will be ready to fight COVID-19 in about a week, defence source says
Idled industrial plants seen as an untapped source of protective equipment for health workers
ER doctor speaks from the frontline of COVID-19 and about what we can do to help
The system is bending. The race to protect our health-care workers must be won now
One GTA health region has already exhausted its supply of ventilators. Experts say this should be a 'red alert'
Seventy six percent of Canadians are voluntarily self-isolating to fight COVID-19, poll finds
New bylaw orders Torontonians to keep at least two metres apart in parks, public squares
Doug Ford joins premiers calling on Ottawa to do more in the fight against COVID-19
Ottawa is ready to give away piles of COVID-19 money. Can it deliver to Canadians quickly enough?
Family doctors warn lack of face masks could force end to in-person visits
Worries grow that discrimination against Chinese Canadians is getting worse as pandemic continues
Ottawa still scrambling to bring Canadians home as countries lock down, foreign minister says
Trudeau government indifferent to China's lies on COVID-19
COVID-19 trims Ontario's jail-house ranks by 24%

Time to get tough on those ignoring physical distancing amid COVID crisis
New Toronto bylaw requires people in parks to remain two metres apart
Nightmare ending for Canadians trapped on COVID-19 stricken cruise ship
For returning Canadians, there's no place like home
Businesses, Canadians step up to help truckers
We can handle the truth on COVID-19
Countries with the best numbers are the ones donning masks
Canada's public data on COVID-19 is (mostly) a mess. Here's how to find the useful info
Some critically ill COVID-19 patients choosing to die at home rather than be treated with ventilator in ICU
With one quarter of Canada's confirmed COVID-19 cases, Montreal turns to coercion to stop the spread
Ontario's official COVID-19 numbers aren't telling us what we really need to know
Shocking and 'indefensible': Feds should release national COVID-19 modelling information
Despite what you may have heard, you should wear a mask for COVID-19
Global COVID-19 cases surpass one million
Quebec leads in optimism even as its coronavirus case numbers soar: new poll
BC reports 6 new deaths, case confirmed at Okanagan jail
City of Vancouver temporarily lays off 1,500 workers due to COVID-19 crisis
121K BC hospitality workers off the job, 28% of restaurants risk going under: survey
Hospital staff set up Vancouver Convention Centre in case COVID-19 worsens
Agriculture worker conditions in Okanagan a 'ticking time bomb' for COVID-19: advocate group
Recent EI beneficiaries to move to federal coronavirus emergency benefit - and many will get a raise
Opposition politicians strive for relevance in the world of coronavirus politics
Quebecers flouting coronavirus rules can expect heft fines, premier warns
Ontarions required to identify themselves if charged with breaching emergency order
Fifteen cases of COVID-19 in Indigenous communities to date, Canadian minister reports
'There's never been such a demand': Central Okanagan Food Bank's urgent appeal for help BC Gives $200 Monthly boost to people on income, disability assistance
Canada Faces Med Gear Shortage. Today's Ten Top Web Links
How BC's medical resources stack up
China and the Pandemic: Talking with Historian Timothy Brook
Six new deaths, enforcement guidelines, non-essential travel within province discouraged, and more
Vancouver Courier ceases producing print edition ... for time being
Vancouver Courier temporarily ceasing publication
Six more BC deaths since Wednesday
Musqueam set up checkpoints to prevent spread of COVID-19
Let refugees in during pandemic: rights groups
Questioning WHO and China virus data feeds conspiracy theories: Health Minister Hajdu
Alternate non COVID medical care site at Vancouver Convention Centre to be operational by April 8
BC city halls are shrinking but some have bigger reserves to fall on

Globe and Mail

Internal audit of Scheer's expenses find he spent money on private school, clothes, a minivan

CBC

Canada and US in 'close contact' amid oil price rout, Freeland says
Canada pulls military trainers out of Iraq as pandemic spreads
Ottawa underestimated cost of compensating First Nations children under tribunal order: budget officer
Like everything else in the pandemic plan, Morneau's economic package is chasing a moving target

Toronto Star

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Toronto Sun

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National Post

Canadians had better brace themselves for an alarming new post-COVID economic world
Another COVID-19 casualty: After 60 years, the Canadian Jewish News will cease operations
Canada's air passenger bill of rights fails its first bit test with COVID-19

Maclean's

Inside the parliamentary all-nighter that approved billions in emergency spending
Why legal pot was taking a hit in Canada, weeks before COVID-19 sent markets plunging

Global

Miscellaneous

Royal Canadian Navy, other Armed Forces partners ready for COVID-19 response for coastal communities if required

The Royal Canadian Navy's Esquimalt based HMCS Regina is one of two
ships on stand by for any COVID-19 response that may be required by
coastal communities in British Columbia

The motto for the Royal Canadian Navy is ReadyAyeReady, and that is their standing order during this uncertain period during the response to the COVID-19 response.

Earlier this week National Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan and the Chief of Defence Staff General Johnathan Vance hosted a media briefing to outline some of the steps of preparation the the Canadian military have put in place should the call to aid civil power ever comes in.

For British Columbia, among the planning underway has been the designation of two ships, HMCS Regina and HMCS Brandon, which have been tasked as response ships, ready to sail upon notification to any community that may require assistance.

As part of the designation of the ships company towards the response, both have been put into isolation to avoid any potential spread of the COVID-19 virus to their vessels.

Any call for assistance will be evaluated according to need.

British Columbia will also have access to a range of air assets and land forces if required.

On Monday, the Department of Defence also outlined that its Reserve Forces and those of the largely Indigenous member Canadian Rangers have now been brought into full time service.

Canadian military assembles 'rapid reaction' teams to help with pandemic response
Trudeau says Canadian military ready to support provinces in fighting coronavirus
No 'greater threat' to Canada than COVID-19, military says, as 24,000 troops activated to help fight it

You can review the Wednesday update for Royal Canadian Navy personnel here.

More notes on the ongoing response provincially and federally can be reviewed here.

Cross posted from the North Coast Review.

Port of Prince Rupert seeks input on Export Logistics Platform plans for Ridley Island

More big plans are on the horizon
for the footprint of the Port of Prince Rupert

The Port of Prince Rupert has opened the window towards comment on the planning now underway for a logistics platform to be located on Ridley Island.

The expansive plans would see the facility placed towards the southern side of the island, with the majority of the Export Logistics project to be focused on the area closest to the ocean access side of Ridley.

In their information release from Wednesday, the Port outlines some of the elements and scope of the project and now it will serve global trade out of the Prince Rupert Gateway.

"The Ridley Island Export Logistics Platform (RIELP) is a port infrastructure project that will enable and support the development of innovative, large scale, export transloading facilities designed to increase efficiencies in export supply chains maximize value to Canadian exporters, and support the growth of the intermodal business in the Port of Prince Rupert.

The Prince Rupert Port Authority is the project proponent and would build the proposed land, rail, road and utility infrastructure required to support future transloading operations located on the platform.

Located on the southern end of Ridley Island, the RIELP is designed to host integrated large-scale bulk transload facilities, integrated large-scale breakbulk facilities and an integrated off-dock container yard. Collectively, the platform is designed to support at least 400,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of export transload capacity annually, with the potential to increase capacity to 700,00 (TEUs) for bulk and breakbulk commodities in the future."

The anticipated capital cost of the project is expected to be 250 million dollars, with a two year construction timeline towards completion, while it is under construction, the project would employ an estimated workforce of 250 workers.

In their project overview, the port anticipates the facility would be operational by the fourth quarter of 2022.

The Exports Platform will be entirely on Federal land and under the administrative authority of the PRPA.

Among some of the products that would pass through the Logistics Platform are plastic pellets, cereal grains, speciality agriculture crops, lumber, pulp and mineral concentrates to containers for export.

The shape of what the project will include for infrastructure looks as follows:

New rail and two grade-separated rail crossings
Upgraded access road and new automated truck gate
New intermodal container yard
New Bulk Transload facility
New Break Bulk facility
New ancillary facilities: administration building, stormwater management, etc
Extension of existing ancillary facilities: water distribution line, etc
New onsite equipment such as reach stackers and other industrial machinery

The Port further outlined how the Logistics platform will expand the capacities for the many partners that make for Terminal services in the community

"The integrated off-dock facility will provide empty container storage for the port’s container terminal operations, enhancing terminal efficiency and capacities. The platform and future operating services located on it will be fully integrated via transportation and technological integration with the container terminal operations."

You can review the introduction to the project here, while the wider overview of the project can be explored here.

Those who may have comments to make, can address them by e-mail to the Port at projects@rupertport.com

For more notes of interest on Port developments see our archive page here.

Cross posted from the North Coast Review.

MLA Rice hopeful of short term solution and longer term resolution to homeless shelter issues in Prince Rupert

A number of local stakeholders and North Coast MLA Jennifer Rice
are working towards ensuring that Prince Rupert's homeless
won't be left to the streets during a time of Pandemic

Two days ago we noted that MLA Rice had taken on the lead in the community in search of a solution towards the immediate needs of the homeless during this current COVID-19 emergency situation.

The North Coast MLA noting in a social media post that she had assembled some of the key partners in the community to look for ways to resolve a range of concerns.

On Wednesday afternoon we followed up on that Social media message, sending an email to the MLA's office to inquire as to an update on the planning, while also exploring some of the current themes related to the homeless in Prince Rupert.

In her reply through email, the MLA observed that the current situation had kicked up a level after the City of Prince Rupert sent their own correspondence to the Ministry of Housing advising of a demand for the immediate shut down of the Third Avenue facility.

"I received a phone call from the Minister of Housing on Monday informing me that the city of Prince Rupert had just sent a letter to the Province demanding the current shelter be shut down immediately.

We are striving to meet the immediate needs of this population during COVID-19 and are looking for a more permanent location longer-term. We are very close to having a solution formalized."

In addition to the surprising advisory that the City had demanded a shut down of the only homeless shelter in the city without it appears any form of a fall back plan in place, Ms. Rice recounted one option for a temporary solution during the COVID-19 emergency that was offered up by the North Coast Transition Society, which is among the local groups that offer supports for the homeless.

"I did receive a copy of the Transition Society’s letter to the city requesting the use of the civic centre to temporarily house the homeless in Prince Rupert during the COVID-19 outbreak.

The location meets all the needs of the population allowing for social distancing, good hygiene and a location for meal prep."

That suggestion it would appear has not as of yet seen much success, those notes and some of the other frustrations that the NCTS have found of late were expanded on last night in an online story from the Northern View, which recounts many of the same themes that Ms. Rice shared.

In response to our inquiry as to whether the City's plan did not run counter to a recent announcement by the Government over the halting of evictions, Ms. Rice observed:

"The announcement by the Province halting evictions during this difficult period of time pertains to landlord-tenant relationships that fall under the Residential Tenancy Act.

I would agree that requiring the shelter to shut down immediately goes against the spirit of supporting each other especially during this trying time. These are our most vulnerable community members.

The shelter is currently non-compliant with regards to zoning and building code. Over the past few months the landlord and the service provider have made multiple attempts to bring it up to code but the city discouraged this work. My understanding is a temporary zoning application was applied for but not responded to.

In my discussions with the city of Prince Rupert, it is clear to me that they do not support a shelter in the current location. For the past few months we have been looking at various options to find a new permanent location but we haven’t settled on one yet. "

Since seeking to close down a shelter in the midst of a pandemic seemed like a curious decision for the city to make, we did attempt to seek some clarification, addressing an email to the City's communication director Veronika Stewart late Wednesday afternoon.

As we put this item to post, we have yet to receive a reply from the City, though if the timeline for response as outlined by the weekly paper is an indication, we still have four days, maybe more, to go before we may get a reply.

Should we receive one, we will update this item with an addendum to the bottom of this page.

For now, perhaps we'll just monitor the Mayor's Facebook page where many of the city announcements and public policy discussion seem to flow from these days.

The timing of City's letter to the BC Ministry of Housing as recounted by MLA Rice is also an interesting thing.

Coming as it seems following an announcement from Mayor Lee Brain, through his Social Media page, advising that the local elected officials would no longer be accepting inquiries related to a range of social issues in the community.

"Unfortunately any community issues moving forward regarding housing, childcare, homelessness, etc are to be sent to Jennifer Rice's office as her and her team are now in control.

You can forward your concerns to Jennifer Rice by calling 250-624-7734 or e-mailing jennifer.rice.mla@leg.bc.ca."

Now you might think, that the idea of shutting a homeless shelter during these challenging times, not to mention the City's decision to deflect many concerns from local residents over to the MLA's office might make for some "city business".

They are after all, serious issues that surely that could make for some important discussions in a public forum such as, oh say a City Council Session.

But, as we recounted earlier this week, Prince Rupert City Council has cancelled their scheduled Regular Council Session for this Monday, that owing to "a lack of business" ...

Though one wonders if not talking about the challenges in the community with the residents of the city, is the best way to try to effect change to a very concerning situation.

In her correspondence yesterday, Ms. Rice noted that the BC government and local stake holders are working towards a solution.

"Our government is working with BC housing and the service provider to temporarily shelter people during the COVID-19 outbreak as well as find a new permanent location to situate the shelter."

It's more than a little unfortunate that the elected representation at the local level don't seem inclined to be part of that solution or to even participate in a public discussion on it.

Even more puzzling is that many of them remain silent on the growing list of items that now only get discussed through the Social media feed of the mayor and those who follow that page.

More background on housing in the community can be reviewed here, while our notes on City Council can be examined here.

Cross posted from the North Coast Review.