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COVID-19 Response & Resources

Posted On: Mar 11, 2020

Tags: Featured , Home Featured , Your Municipality

The best places for factual, up-to-date information are:

Daily Live Videos:
BC Government's YouTube Channel

Public Health Websites:
BC Centre for Disease Control
BC Provincial Support & Information
BC Government's News Page
BC Government's COVID-19 Self-Assessment Tool
Interior Health
Government of Canada

Information for and about Businesses during COVID-19

The Sicamous & District Chamber of Commerce put out a request for businesses to contact them with updates regarding the current status of their business, including hours of operation, services being provided and any restrictions during the COVID-19 virus. This information can be viewed through the link below.

Sicamous Business Information
Sicamous & District Chamber of Commerce COVID-19 Updates
The page linked above contains all the updates received so far.

Please contact sheila@sicamouschamber.bc.ca if you would like to add or update your information.

Resources from the Province for Small Businesses

Posted April 20, 2020:

Click here for Council Highlights regarding the Special Council Meeting where Council endorsed changes to our tax payment deadlines, penalties, and utilities.

Posted March 26, 2020:

News Release: Sicamous Council Announces $20,000 Fund to Support Community During COVID-19

Grant Fund Application Form

List of essential services in BC as mandated by EMBC

Posted March 23, 2020:

Video Message from the Mayor from Monday March 23, 2020.

Video Message from the Mayor from Friday March 19, 2020.

Posted March 19, 2020:

News Release: District announces closure of facilities to the public, effective Friday, March 20, 2020.

To help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus, effective Friday March 20, 2020, the District of Sicamous will be closing its municipal facilities to the public. These facilities are the Municipal Hall, Public Works Yard and the Fire Hall. District staff will still be available by phone or email. Any essential services that require meeting with staff in-person will be done by appointment only.

COVID-19 is presenting new challenges and uncertainties every day, and we recognize your need for quality information. Updates will continue to be posted on the District’s website and on social media. Reliable sources of information on COVID-19 include the BC Center for Disease Control (BCCDC), Interior Health Authority and Health Canada websites. Links to these sites can be found through the “COVID-19 Response & Resources” post on our homepage at www.sicamous.ca.

The District can be reached through the General Contact information listed below during our regular business hours of 8:00 am - 4:30 pm, Monday - Friday. Contact information for individual Staff and Council is available at sicamous.ca/your-municipality/directory.

Media Contact
Amanda Passmore, Communications & Public Affairs Officer
T: 250-836-5269
Email: apassmore@sicamous.ca

General Contact
T: 250-836-2477
Email: info@sicamous.ca

Posted March 17, 2020:

Health authorities have identified the following steps to help reduce the potential impact and spread of infection:

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds;
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth, especially with unwashed hands;
  • Practice social distancing, which means to keep 2 meters (6 ft) between yourself and others;
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick;
  • Cough and sneeze into your sleeve, and not your hands;
  • Stay home if you are sick to avoid spreading illness to others; 
  • Wipe surfaces and objects (e.g., phones, desk tops, door handles, light switches) with disinfectant often; and
  • Avoid gatherings of 50 people or more.

Posted March 13, 2020:

From Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, and Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.'s provincial health officer:

"We are recommending against all non-essential travel outside of Canada, including to the United States. Effective today, anyone who chooses to travel outside of Canada will be asked to stay away from work or school for 14 days upon their return. We know that this is a voluntary measure, but it is our expectation that people will follow this direction as part of their civic duty.

Effective today, we also directing all event organizers to cancel any gathering larger than 250 people. This includes indoor and outdoor sporting events, conferences, meetings, religious gatherings or other similar events. This threshold has been selected, as it is much easier to maintain important social distancing to prevent transmission of COVID-19."

The full article from the BC Government can be found here: Joint statement on update on new and existing COVID-19 cases in B.C.

Posted March 12, 2020:

Although the risk to British Columbia communities remains low, the District of Sicamous (DOS) would like to assure visitors, patrons and clients that the DOS is actively monitoring the status of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic and taking appropriate precautions. 

As a local government, we take direction from the Provincial Health Officer through Emergency Management B.C. Our focus is on maintaining essential service levels and following the advice of public health officials at every step. 

What you can do: At this time, public health officials recommend the same precautions you would use to prevent the common cold or flu:

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water, 
  • Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, 
  • Avoid others who are unwell, and 
  • Stay home when you are sick

We ask all visitors to our facilities and participants in our programs to please stay home if they are sick and to refer to the following resources on a regular and ongoing basis.

As an organization, the DOS is:

  • Increasing cleaning protocols at our facilities with a focus on public areas and touchpoints
  • Placing signage at facilities reminding members of the public and staff to follow public health recommendations

Inquiries may be directed to:

Amanda Passmore, Communications & Public Affairs Officer
E: apassmore@sicamous.ca
T: 250-836-5269