RV travel to Vancouver Island restricted

[BobsYourUncle]

BIL on Vanvouver Island emailed me this article.

Looks like they will very soon not be allowing bookings for RVs on BC Ferries.

RV Travel restricted - BC Ferries

[StirCrazy]

SideHillSoup wrote:

Everything is voluntary.

Actualy it isnt, as of friday (when the official rules came out under the emergency legislation act or somthing like that) it is enforcable and will be. random checkstops, BC ferries will let you in to the lanes then call the rcmp so they dont have to deal with it, and police forces are getting extra funding to condect the road checks, just like drunk driving checks at christmas.

Steve

[BobsYourUncle]

Now I am wondering about my own situation....

A while back we booked a 2 week stay in August at Fairmont with the TT.... That involves driving to BC from Alberta.

When I did that I really thought this thing would wind down long before then an we would be good to go. Now I'm not so sure.

Hmmmm.

[BFL13]

The BC govt says no un-essential travel, but leaves the BC parks open with special additional Covid contact forms to fill in and put in your money envelope when you get there. So how do you get there?

I read up on all the "rules" last winter, because I wanted to go up to Rathtrevor , a two hr drive. The premier had said to not get in your RV and go to Tofino (he still has a bee in his bonnet about that).

Meanwhile the list of Health Rules back then said you could go skiing, as long as you went to the nearest ski hill, not the next one farther away.

I wanted clarification on the "rules" and ended up on the phone with a Van Isle Health guy and asked how come I can't go to Rathtrevor, but it was ok to drive past there for another hour to go skiing up by Courtenay. He hummed and hawed and said that the police would not stop my RV on the way to Rathtrevor, and he did agree there were Covid contact forms to fill out that his shop had put in place.

I noted that Skiing meant apre- ski partying, but RVing at the provincial park had no such thing. Anyway, I ended up going to Rathtrevor three times this winter and no problems.

Meanwhile , they had to close Whistler for apre-ski Covid catching! ( I don't know about Mount Washington.) The parks are still open and you still must fill in the Covid contact sheet---but the premier still says not to get your Winnibego and go to Tofino! Ok, no problem!

I don't have a Winnibego, and no plans to go to Tofino. The govt is too chicken to pass an actual order that I can't drive up to Parksville even though it is within our Health Zone, and too chicken to enforce any order using the police in case it offends various minority groups, so we can all get sick as long as they are not offended? What a farce!

So if they are serious (they are not--only about not offending likely voters) they would close the parks. Nope! That would be too logical.

So, it is the same as last winter for on the Island. They are still not serious, and are just blowing smoke about no travel to a park within your region. If they were serious they would close the parks, and they would have police on the roads to stop those pesky RVs heading to Tofino! IMO just go until they ever get serious, but act in Parksville the same as in Victoria for wearing your mask in stores, etc.

[Orion]

Ok, so the three regions are for the tourism and travel industry guidelines, but stay in your own community for individuals? I can see that, sort of!
I'm going to take my community as Greater Victoria, not a bad place to be 'stuck'!

[SideHillSoup]

Orion wrote:
They have divided the province into three regions and say that you cannot travel between these regions unless the travel is essential. So that would mean that someone in Victoria could travel to Port Hardy, or travel from Osoyoos to Fort St John!
On the other hand, it is being said that you should stay in your own community! What does that mean?

It’s the Metric system... (grin)
The province is asking people to stay home on a voluntary basis. They have also asked that the travel industry / tourism industry not allow people from outside those “bubbles” to book accommodations in their bubbles ( jerry rigged Health regions) until after May Long Weekend ( 3rd Monday in May)
The BC Government has canceled campsites at provincial campgrounds for people that come from outside the bubble of that particular campground, and will be canceling all RV reservations on BC ferries for RV’s.
Everything is voluntary.
I live 30 minutes from the Washington state boarder and I can drive ( if I wanted) all the way to the Yukon border, however a person in Vancouver, cant drive to Hope BC 1.5 hrs away.
They are trying to corral people is for a while longer trying put the breaks on this thing.
traveling for the May Long weekend is a big thing up here in Canada, it’s like winter is over let’s shack the cobwebs off and start the camping season and there will not listen to the Health officials and do what they want to do, as in traveling outside the region they are supposed to stay in, those are the ones the Gov’t is out to “catch”
As I said it’s all voluntary at this time, but our premier has said he will put into effect a stay at home order if people don’t heed these warning and or restrictions.
Here in BC we have been in a Provincial State of Emergency since March of 2020, and there is no end in site.
BC COVID restrictions
I get my first shot this coming Thursday... and I can’t wait.
Hope everyone stays safe and healthy.
Soup.

[Orion]

They have divided the province into three regions and say that you cannot travel between these regions unless the travel is essential. So that would mean that someone in Victoria could travel to Port Hardy, or travel from Osoyoos to Fort St John!
On the other hand, it is being said that you should stay in your own community! What does that mean?

[BobsYourUncle]

happycamper1942 wrote:

We live on the island and are resigned to only camping here for now, which isn't too bad really.

Yes you truly have a lot of beautiful spots there. I have a number of faves myself. I have spent a lot of time there in the RV and always loved it. Not sure, maybe 200 or so nights.
I used to do the home show circuit and then follow up with a lot of work all up and down the Island, my portable motel in tow.

[happycamper1942]

ssthrd wrote:

BobsYourUncle wrote:

Orion wrote:
So they wont be booking RVs, so does that mean you can travel without a reservation?

I kinda wondered about that myself.....
What happens if you just show up there with your rig?

I believe that they will ask you if your reason for travel is essential. If not, no go.....

Essential travel only. Going to visit someone, going to a RV park reservation you have made a long time ago etc, will not be considered essential, even if you are losing a deposit.
We live on the island and are resigned to only camping here for now, which isn't too bad really.

[Lwiddis]

The Canadians are just trying to protect themselves.

[Galvanizd]

Interesting over in Ontario, it was starting to look like...........not Canada.


https://nationalpost.com/opinion/chris-selley-ontarians-finally-discover-a-breaking-point-for-the-lo...

[ssthrd]

BobsYourUncle wrote:

Orion wrote:
So they wont be booking RVs, so does that mean you can travel without a reservation?

I kinda wondered about that myself.....
What happens if you just show up there with your rig?

I believe that they will ask you if your reason for travel is essential. If not, no go.....

[CA_Traveler]

Let's hope that Canada can very soon ramp up it's vaccination program and we can all travel w/o restrictions. BC and it's people are absolutely a wonderful place to travel and visit!

Not that the US has the virus under control but we're making progress.

[BobsYourUncle]

Orion wrote:
So they wont be booking RVs, so does that mean you can travel without a reservation?

I kinda wondered about that myself.....
What happens if you just show up there with your rig?

[StirCrazy]

all of bc is foing restricted on friday. you have to stay with in your geographical health regions.

Steve