On March 18, 2020, B.C.'s Minister of Public Safety and
Solicitor General, Mike Farnworth, declared a state of emergency in
response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Farnworth's announcement
comes after the B.C. Government declared a public health emergency
earlier this week. The BC Government most recently declared a state
of emergency during B.C.'s wildfires in August 2018 in order to
ensure that citizens did not return to areas under a mandatory
evacuation order.
How can this happen?
The B.C. Government's authority to declare a state of
emergency is granted by the Emergency Program Act, which provides
a minister or the Lieutenant Governor in Council with the power to
require local governments, provincial ministries, crown
corporations, and other government agencies to develop emergency
management plans and programs to respond to disasters, emergencies,
and catastrophes.
