December 21st 2021 Update
Revised provincial health officer orders will take effect on Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2021, at 11:59 p.m.
The restrictions will extend to Jan. 18, 2022, at 11:59 p.m., and include:
- no organized indoor social events and gatherings of any size;
- concerts, sports games and theatres reduced to 50% seated capacity, regardless of venue size;
- closing gyms, fitness centres and dance studios;
- closing bars and nightclubs; and
- limiting table sizes at restaurants, cafes and pubs to a maximum of six people per table with physical distancing or barriers.
These restrictions are in addition to the revised orders that took effect on Monday, Dec. 20.
For more infomation please visit https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/covid-19/info/restrictions
September 13th 2021 Update
By order of the Provincial Health Officer (PHO), proof of vaccination is required to access some events, services and businesses. You must have at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. By October 24, you must be fully vaccinated. The requirement is in place until January 31, 2022 and could be extended.
The requirement applies to all people born in 2009 or earlier (12+) and covers:
Examples of places that require proof of vaccination
- Indoor ticketed sporting events with more than 50 people
- Indoor concerts, theatre, dance and symphony events with more than 50 people
- Licensed restaurants and cafes and restaurants and cafes that offer table service (indoor and patio dining), including liquor tasting rooms in wineries, breweries or distilleries
- Pubs, bars and lounges (indoor and patio dining)
- Nightclubs, casinos and movie theatres
- Gyms, exercise/dance facilities/studios and these activities happening in recreation facilities
- Businesses offering indoor exercise/fitness
- Indoor adult group and team sports for people 22 years old or older
- Indoor organized events with 50 or more people.
- For example: wedding and funeral receptions (outside of a funeral home), organized parties, conferences, trade fairs and workshops
- Indoor organized group recreational classes and activities with more than 50 people like pottery, art and choir
- Post-secondary student housing
- Spectators at indoor youth sporting events with more than 50 people
Note: Proof of vaccination is not required to vote in-person in the September 20 federal election or at advance polling places.
Examples of places that don’t require proof of vaccination
You don’t have to show proof of vaccination at places like:
- Grocery stores, liquor stores and pharmacies
- Unlicensed restaurants that don’t offer table service
- For example: fast food, coffee shops, food courts, food trucks and takeout
- Tasting rooms without seating attached to wineries, breweries or distilleries
- Local public transportation (BC Transit, TransLink, BC Ferries)
- Salons, hairdressers and barbers
- Hotels, resorts, cabins and campsites
- Unless it is a setting or event covered by the PHO order. For example a licensed hotel restaurant, wedding reception or conference
- Does not include exercise/fitness facilities in hotels that are for guests
- Swimming pools (unless it’s the location of an event) and skating rinks (unless being used for adult sport)
- Banks and credit unions
- Retail and clothing stores
- Public libraries, museums, art galleries (unless they are the location of an event)
- Food banks and shelters
- Escape rooms, laser tag, indoor paint ball, arcades and bowling alleys (if they are unlicensed or don’t offer food-related table service)
- Post-secondary on-campus cafeterias
- Airport food courts and restaurants
- Health care services, rehabilitation or exercise therapy programs, and drug and alcohol support group meetings
- Social services provided to people in need
You don’t have to show proof of vaccination at events like:
- Worship services
- Indoor youth recreational sport for people 21 years old or younger
- Before and after school programs for K to 12 students
- Student events and activities in K to 12 public and independent schools
- Indoor organized events with less than 50 people, except adult sports
September 9th 2021 Update
August 20th 2021 Update
August 18th 2021 Update
May 28th 2021 Update
On May 25th 2021 the BC Provincial Government published its restart plan.
REALM will continue working with CLBC and WorkSafeBC to keep the workplace safe for everyone. As the situation continues to evolve, please check back here on this page often for updates, and consult the Provincial Government website at the below link for further updates.
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/covid-19/info/restart#plan
April 20th 2021 Update
March 8th Update
February 9th Update
January 18th 2021 Update
January 7th 2021 Update
Via Inclusion BC
As BC rolls out its vaccination strategy, we have been receiving questions about the process and how the needs of people with intellectual disabilities are being addressed.
The BCCDC website outlines who will be receiving the first vaccines. People living in group homes (this includes people with intellectual disabilities) are among the first two groups to receive a vaccine, in February and March. We do not know at this time what that roll-out will look like and when it will begin but will send updates as we receive them.
Studies around the world have shown that people with intellectual disabilities are at higher risk for COVID-19 due to a variety of factors. The vaccine strategy in B.C. and Canada should address the unique needs of people with intellectual disabilities who are at higher risk, including:
- Older adults with intellectual disabilities,
- People with intellectual disabilities who have have underlying health conditions,
- People living in congregate settings such as group homes, and
- Staff supporting people who are at higher risk.
Easy Read Information About the COVID Vaccine
These easy read booklets give helpful information about the COVID vaccine in Canada. Click on the images below to read and download. Visit the Health Care Access Research and Developmental Disities (HCARDD) website for more plain language information about COVID-19 and the vaccine.
December 23 Update
Please visit our Late 2020 COVID Financial Support page to learn more about 2 programs that are available. Note the deadline to apply to one of the two programs is December 31st 2020.
https://realmbc.ca/late-2020-covid-financial-supports/