Businesses in Port Coquitlam are being told by the city to help control the spread of COVID-19 by limiting occupancy and stopping hoarders.
Tuesday, Mayor Brad West asked business owners to follow the provincial medical health officer’s guidelines. These include:
• limiting occupancy to keep social distancing to at least six feet between people;
• capping occupancy to 50 people;
• restricting the quantity of popular products that shoppers can purchase at one time;
• increasing cleaning of common areas;
• extending shopping hours for at-risk people;
• and providing delivery services.
“We are asking businesses to adhere to these guidelines given the seriousness of the situation,” West said in a press release. “We’ve all heard reports of large crowds in big-box retail stores and in restaurants and pubs. Businesses can now play a critical role in helping to keep our residents safe during these extraordinary times.”
City staff will monitor businesses and, if the guidelines are not met, “we will have to take additional regulatory measures to make sure public health is protected,” the mayor said.
West also encouraged residents to keep their shopping dollars in Port Coquitlam and to support local businesses during the global pandemic, which is taking a toll on the economy.
West’s words come a day after the city shuttered its civic facilities and postponed some upcoming events in a bid to contain the virus. Visit portcoquitlam.ca/covid19.
