The Fitness Industry Council of Canada is pleased to see that gyms and exercise facilities in British Columbia will be able to open on Thursday, Jan. 20.
Speaking on NL Newsday, President Sara Hodson says on Monday of this week, her organization presented Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, with a strong case to show why gyms should be allowed to reopen.
“We all know Dr. Henry has been conservative in the decisions that she has been making here,” she said. “In no way would she have allowed fitness centres to open if she wasn’t absolutely confident in our ability to execute on a safe plan in order to keep British Columbians safe.”
“We were able to really kind of put on the table all of the abilities that the fitness industry has and put together what I believe was a really strong case to provide and prove that the fitness industry can open safely and open quickly.”
Speaking on Tuesday’s afternoon, Henry said it was a “very difficult decision” to close gyms before the holidays last month, but also noted that it gave her time to make sure there were additional safety measures in place.
“I know that many people felt that we were overreacting and I’ve said this from the very beginning of the pandemic that our challenge and my challenge is to find that balance of making sure we are doing just enough to address the situation we’re in, and not allowing our system to be overwhelmed,” Henry said.
You will have to show your COVID-19 proof of vaccination to work out in all gyms, which will have to operate with COVID safety plans and capacity limits. Both individual and group fitness classes will be able to resume this week.
Masks will be also mandatory except when you are working out, though Henry is encouraging you to wear one as much as possible.
“Restrictions are not new to our industry and we operated within the matrix of some restrictions for about 18 months,” Hodson added. “This is really just a step back to where we were just before Canada Day of last year.”
“We are capable. We are ready. And this is just about us now executing and opening our doors.”
COVID-19 Relief Grant Doubled
The B.C. government is also doubling the COVID-19 Closure Relief Grant for businesses like bars and nightclubs that must remain closed until at least Feb. 16.
Minister of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation, Ravi Kahlon, says up to $20,000 in funding is now available for these businesses.
“It’s fair to say that the Omicron variant has created new challenges for all of us, but our government’s commitment to support people and businesses through this latest COVID-19 wave is unwavering,” Kahlon said.
“While we are encouraged to see that many fitness activities will now be able to take place in a safe, controlled environment, we know there are still sectors directly impacted by these public health measures. Our government will continue to support these businesses, as we have in the past.”
The amount of funding is based on staffing levels at the time these businesses were ordered closed before Christmas.
And Kahlon said businesses like gyms which can reopen will only be eligible for the original four-week temporary-closure grant of up to $10,000.
