The City of Kamloops has declared a state of local emergency due to COVID-19.

In a statement, the city says the declaration will allow the city to quickly and effectively address emerging issues with COVID-19, while making decisions in the best interests of residents, businesses, and city employees.

“These are difficult and unprecedented times,” said Mayor Ken Christian on Friday.

“The precautions, closures of facilities to public, and cancellation of programs and events over the past several days have been made through the recommendations and direction of our public health officials in the best interest and well-being of our residents and employees.”

As part of the declaration, all parking and transit fees have been temporarily suspended, and people are being urged to continue social distancing from each other.

“I declared the emergency on the advice of our Emergency Operations Centre and I just want to point out nothing has changed dramatically since yesterday,” said Christian. “But it was on the advice that their ability to respond more nimbly and quickly on behalf of the citizens of Kamloops, would be enhanced by a state of local emergency here in the city.”

Non-essential services will be winding down and staff will be working from home wherever possible. City council and committee meetings will also be postponed until further notice.

“This message I’m sharing today helps us prepare for whatever is to come next week,” added Christian.

There are 12 cases of COVID-19 across Interior Health, according to Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, who did not specify the communities. “I am not aware of any cases in Kamloops, however I think we have to recognize that there are cases in Kamloops because Kamloops is not particularly different than North Vancouver and we know there’s cases in North Vancouver. So, the message is the same. Universal precautions, respiratory etiquette, social distancing, good hand-washing,” Christian said.

He says the RCMP is well staffed and the watches are scheduled and our fire halls are operating in accordance with the protection standards that we are used to. “Our bylaw services people are spending more time now downtown with homeless individuals and street affected people. We continue to provide water, sewer, we’re going to keep our garbage system operating, our parks are open as are the washrooms in them, our dog parks in particular.”

When asked if this gives the city the ability to force restaurants and those types of places to close, Mayor Ken Christian says the declaration will allow the city to rapidly and effectively address issues as they emerge. “Does give us more power to react more quickly to those kinds of things. As to whether or not those would be used in the coming days, we don’t know that. For the most part, I’ve seen in my limited movements around the city of Kamloops, people are adhering to the advice of Dr. Bonnie Henry and it’s pretty desolate on the streets sadly to say.”

The city says the following services will remain operational:

• Kamloops Fire Rescue
• Kamloops RCMP
• Kamloops Bylaw services
• Emergency social services
• Residential garbage and recycling pickup (includes commercial and multi-family)
• Landfills, recycling, and yard waste depots
• City parks, dog parks, trails, and public washrooms
• Kamloops Centre for Water Quality
• Kamloops Sewage Treatment Centre
• Building inspection services
• Building permit services
• Business licensing services
• Planning services
• Transportation and engineering services
• Social and community health
• Road maintenance, water, and sewer utilities
• Financial services

More to come.