Vancouver council ready to crack down on businesses ignoring closure orders

Vancouver council has approved a motion giving it the power to crack down on businesses ignoring closure orders or residents defying the requirement to maintain social distancing.

This morning's vote, giving the city the ability to levy 50-thousand dollar fines on businesses or slap residents with fines of up to one-thousand dollars was approved unanimously.

The measures follow numerous violations in the days following last week's declaration of a local state of emergency in Vancouver, restricting shop hours or operations and limiting many public activities.

Vancouver, Victoria and Whistler are among the BC communities that have now closed all parks and other recreational sites in order to limit the size of gatherings in an effort to combat COVID-19.