Party planners ask B.C. government to allow safe reopening for weddings and other special events

Some event businessessay they're struggling to survive and are pleading with the B.C. government to allow them to reopen.

Judy Reeves,owner of Vancouver-basedEdge Catering, says the wedding and events industry has been 'decimated' over the last two years. She'sasking B.C. health officials to meet with the industry to come up with aplan to safely allow private eventsonce again.

"It'shard for us as an industry to understand while Canucks games have been able to continue ... how can you say that's a less risky environment than say a cocktail reception?" said Reeves.

On Jan. 18, B.C. health officials announced gyms and fitness centres across the province could gradually start reopening as of Jan. 20, but the previous banon indoor organized gatherings like wedding and funeral receptions wasextended until Feb. 16.

Bars, nightclubs and lounges must remainclosed and capacity limits of 50 per cent are still in place fortheatres and stadiums.

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said last week she made the decision to extend those restrictions based on the current rate of transmissionandhospitalizationswhich have reached ahighpoint in the two-year-old pandemic due to the spread of the Omicron variant.

"Seated venues are very different from some places where you're either actively yelling, or shouting, or dancing or singing," said Henry at Tuesday's press conference.

On Wednesday, the province announced it was extending the COVID-19 Closure Relief Grant and doubling financial supports for eligible businesses that were ordered toremain closed,but Reeves says her company doesn't qualifybecause she's able to operate some aspects of her business.

Although the expiration of the order is only a few weeks away,businesses like Reeves' and Port Coquitlam-based Spotlight Events are worried it could be extended again without ample warning.

"We are begging for our survival. Please, give us any restrictions, we will work with them," saidSpotlight Events' owner Paige Petriw.

She said her company would embrace the challengeofworking with restrictions such as capacity limits, no dancing, mask-wearing policiesand adding Plexiglassin between tables.

Both Petriwand Reeves said they have lost at least 90 per cent of their businesses over the course of the pandemic.

Reeves said she's worried if the shut down of the events industry continues past Feb. 16, it could drive celebrations to go underground.

"If we're concerned about safety protocols and containment, all it's doing ismaking people have celebrations on their own."