Repealing Mask Mandate (March 11) and Vaccine Card and COVID Safety Plans (April 8)

March 10, 2022 – Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced planned changes to the mask requirement, the BC Vaccine Card, and workplace COVID Safety Plans, with all being repealed over the coming month.
The Burnaby Board of Trade welcomes the news that the state of the pandemic allows us to stop requiring masks and the use of the BC Vaccine Card, and allows businesses to return to more normal operations with the removal of COVID Safety Plans along with things like capacity limits, one-way directions and plexiglass barriers.

That said, the Burnaby Board of Trade is urging all individuals to be patient as businesses unwind these restrictions, and to be understanding of those people or businesses which wish to continue to use some of these layers of protection in the forthcoming weeks and months.

Masks – Repealed March 11
The provincial government has announced that as of tomorrow, March 11, at 12:01am, the health order requiring masks to be worn in indoor public settings and workplaces will end.
Masks will no longer be required by a public order to be worn, but people are free to use them as they wish, and businesses are enabled to continue to require them in their places of business. Areas under federal jurisdiction, such as ferries and airplanes, are not included in this repeal.
For K-12 schools, masks requirements will be repealed upon the return from spring break in each district.
BC Vaccine Card – Repealed April 8
The order requiring the use of the BC Vaccine Card to access certain venues and businesses will be repealed on April 8, at 12:01am. After this time, proof of vaccination will no longer be required by public order and businesses impacted should alert staff to the change in check-in requirements.
COVID Safety Plans – Repealed April 8
The requirement to have more stringent COVID Safety Plans is being repealed on April 8, and businesses can again transition to using Communicable Disease Plans — or what was in place at the end of 2021. These plans are much less restrictive and are meant to ensure offices are clean and protected from all communicable diseases such as flu, norovirus, and COVID-19.
With the repeal of COVID safety plans, businesses can again remove partitions or barriers, can remove capacity limits, one-way directions, and other measures that had been in place. Read more on Communicable Disease Plans >