With BC’s current province-wide restrictions still in place until at least May 25, 2021, Cycling BC would like to remind all members and clubs to continue following public health protocols to help keep our province moving in the right direction against Covid-19.
BC’s Covid-19 daily positive case count is slowly trending downwards, vaccinations are now available to the majority of British Columbians, and Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry has suggested that plans for a safe return to sport, particularly outdoor sports, is on the horizon. Dr. Henry is working with public health officials on a health policy that will guide the next phases of a restart plan for all sectors, which is targeted to be released after the May long weekend.
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We are encouraged and cautiously optimistic that we will see restrictions eased over the coming weeks. We don’t expect a full return to pre-pandemic activities right away. When the time comes, we are expecting a return to sport that will happen gradually, slowly, and with modifications.
Please continue to stay aligned with Cycling BC as we relay updates from viaSport and rely on the cooperation of our members and clubs to help make the return to our sport safer and smoother for all.
In the meantime, please continue to follow the current guidelines.
GUIDELINES ON INDOOR AND OUTDOOR GROUP SPORT
Games, tournaments and competitions and travel are temporarily suspended for all organized indoor and outdoor sports. For youth 21 years of age and younger:
- Individual drills and modified training activities can continue
- 3 metres physical distance must be maintained at all times
- Amateur sports organizations and leagues may implement additional guidelines to ensure the health and safety of participants
For group sports for people 22 years of age and older, activities can continue if the following conditions are met:
- if the group sport is indoors, only two persons participate;
- if the group sport is outdoors, only ten persons participate;
- the participants maintain a distance of three metres from one another while engaged in the group sport, unless the participants reside in the same private residence;
- there are no spectators, unless the presence of a spectator is necessary in order to provide care to a participant.
CLARIFICATION ON HIGH- PERFORMANCE ATHLETE TRAVEL: Further interpretation of the current BC Order on non-essential travel has determined that athletes who are Sport Canada Carded may be considered workers, making their sport activities essential. Therefore, CSI Pacific identified Sport Canada Carded athletes (Canadian Elite or Podium levels) may travel across the three regional health authority zones for sport purposes. These athletes must also be eligible under the Gathering and Events order, meaning that the athletes must have been in B.C. prior to November 19, 2020. Please note: All other athlete levels are still NOT allowed to cross health authority regions and travel across regions need to be postponed until at least after May 24. This language has been added to viaSport’s Guidance for Travel here: www.viasport.ca/spring-travel-key-messages
For more information on the province-wide restrictions on events and gatherings, please visit https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/covid-19/info/restrictions
viaSport’s Guidance document on the Return to Sport in BC (May 2021)
For more information on the travel restrictions for sports in BC, viaSport has published the following guiding document: viaSport Guidance on travel restrictions for sports in BC (May 2021)