Good Afternoon,
You are receiving this letter as a District of Tofino Business Licence holder for an accommodation business.
Last week, the Province indicated that Phase 3 of the BC Restart Plan would not begin until sometime in mid-June at the earliest – depending on how the virus responds. We understand that the uncertainty of this virus is difficult for businesses planning their re-entry into the summer season and we are working to support your plans for reopening by compiling resources, working with the Economic Recovery Task Force, making our Business Licence Inspector available for questions, and activating an economic impact survey.
Please find attached a letter outlining the District’s activities, supports and resources as we move toward the next phases of the Restart Plan.
Kind Regards,
Elyse Goatcher-Bergmann (she/her)| Manager of Corporate Services & EOC Information Officer | District of Tofino | 121 Third Street, Box 9, Tofino BC V0R 2Z0| T 250.725.3229 ext 610 | Eelysegb@tofino.ca andinformation@eoctofino.ca | Wwww.tofino.ca
DISTRICT OF TOFINO
P.O. Box 9, 121 Third Street, Tofino, B.C. V0R 2Z0
Telephone: 250.725.3229 | Email: bmacpherson@tofino.ca | Website: www.tofino.ca/covid-19
June 1, 2020
Dear Accommodation Providers,
Re. Preparing our Community for Future Phases of the BC Restart Plan
British Columbia remains in a State of Emergency to support the extraordinary measures necessary to keep people safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. From the outset, our Province’s focus has been on slowing the rate of transmission by providing up to date information, promoting social distancing and hygiene, and discouraging non- essential personal travel. The District of Tofino would like to specifically thank those businesses who provide tourist accommodation for your voluntary closures. The very high level of voluntary compliance with our mid- March closure request undoubtedly played a role in the “flattening of the curve” and keeping our community’s exposure to the pandemic low.
As was the case two months ago, we continue to encourage Tofino residents and business owners to be aware of and comply with provincial guidelines. We are currently in Phase 2 of the Province’s BC Restart Plan, which is available at www.gov.bc.ca/restartbc. In this phase, the public is being asked to stay close to home and avoid any travel between communities that is not essential. We have recently heard from the Province that Phase 3 of the Plan, when the public can begin longer non-essential trips in B.C., will not begin until sometime in mid-June at the earliest – depending on how the virus responds. Please review the BC Restart Plan and the supporting information for guidance and protocols for your business.
We understand that the uncertainty of this virus is difficult for businesses planning their re-entry into the summer season. The District of Tofino cannot enforce provincial Public Health Orders or require accommodation businesses to close. Instead, the District of Tofino has refocused our Business Licensing services to provide information about how to plan for a safe environment using the resources and guidance available. While specific WorkSafeBC protocols for the accommodation sector have not yet been provided, the BC CDC and BC Ministry of Health have put together this document that can be used to guide your preparations in the interim. Please contact Damon Johnson, Business License Inspector, at 250-725-3229 ext. 605, or email djohnson@tofino.ca for more information. We look forward to continuing to provide support to businesses as further guidance becomes available.
Additionally, and in partnership with the Economic Recovery and Community Health Task Forces, the District of Tofino has compiled a one-stop online portal of information for businesses at www.tofino.ca/covid-19 to help our community recover and prepare for future visitation.
Here you will find:
Resources for Businesses (Resources for Resuming Operation, Financial Supports, etc.)
Support for Individuals and Families
Resources for Coping with Increased Stress and Anxiety
Public Health Information
And more.
Economic Impact Survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/westcoastcovid-19economicimpact (Also available at www.tofino.ca/covid-business)
To support the community’s ongoing recovery efforts, we are asking all west coast businesses to participate in a comprehensive and anonymous economic survey, specific to our region. The survey has been developed in collaboration with Tourism Vancouver Island and is open now until June 10th. Your answers are critical in helping us to understand the economic impacts of the COVID-19 crisis specific to Tofino and surrounding communities and will be shared with the District of Tofino and District of Ucluelet Councils, the Ucluelet and Tofino Chambers of Commerce, and Tourism Tofino/Tourism Ucluelet to inform our collective advocacy for support measures that meet the unique needs of the West Coast.
Over the coming weeks, we are committed to supporting businesses with up to date information and resources, and ask that you do your part in reopening within the guidance provided by the Province.
Sincerely,
Bob MacPherson
Chief Adminisitrative Officer District of Tofino
3 comments:
Parking lots full of essential surfers and kite surfers last few days. No parking by post office . Town pretty full. I guess they didn’t get the memo from the Task Force.
the hundreds of surfers and campers on the ferries yesterday appear to be headed to tofino to read the task force memo when they get here.
Quote from the letter: "The District of Tofino cannot enforce provincial Public Health Orders or require accommodation businesses to close."
So there ya go. They have no power to do anything. It's not their fault, they can just blame everything on "the province".
It's the province's fault that all the washrooms are locked up.
It's the province's fault that there's dogshit strewed all over town.
It's the province's fault that the taxpayers of Tofino are supporting a $9,000 daily salary expense so District staff can "supply information", and not come to work.
It's the province's fault that Tofino's mayor and council are a discredited, inept, ineffectual, irrelevant, and "all talk, all excuses, no action" supposed leadership.
It's the province's fault that Tofino is the highest taxed municipality in B.C.,by far, except Whistler and Sun Peaks.
It's the province's fault that Tofino's mayor has lost all credibility, and no one much believes a word that comes out her mouth about anything.
It's the province's fault that D.O.T. collected exorbitant business license fees from all the businesses, spent the money, and now are unable to offer those businesses even token relief from this expense when the doors are closed.
We're so lucky that we had Dr. Marshall to speak up for us and get us this far through the pandemic, in pretty good shape. The rest of our "leadership" has been a dismal failure. Excuses, double-talk, avoidance, change the subject, ....... we've seen and heard Tofino politics at it's finest.
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