Vancouver car dealership shuttered amid COVID-19 outbreak

A Vancouver car dealership has been temporarily shut-down due to a COVID-19 outbreak, and an investigation is underway into how it started.

Bran Jessel BMW’s pre-owned vehicle dealership voluntarily closed its doors Sunday after a positive case was confirmed at one of its lots on Saturday.

WorkSafeBC ordered a 10-day closure when more cases emerged, under B.C.’s recent order that businesses be shuttered when three or more cases turn up at a workplace.

Staff members allege the transmission happened after a superior came to work with symptoms.

2:05 How will the B.C. government support workers without sick days if their workplace is shut down?

In a statement, CEO Jim Murray told Global News the dealership has operated under strict protocols since the start of the pandemic.

“However, we also take very seriously, concerns now being raised by staff members that colleagues may have came to work when they were feeling ill,” Murray said.

“If so, this would be a serious breach of our COVID-19 protocols. As a result, we are conducting an internal review to determine if protocols were or were not followed.”

The company said it is also making sure staff know they should feel comfortable raising any issue that they feel could affect their health and safety or that of customers.