British Columbia has expanded public health orders requiring all adults supervising or assisting with youth sports and other activities to be fully vaccinated.
This means any coach, volunteer or group leader will fall under the new mandate.
Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry is expected to provide additional clarity on the new policy next Tuesday.
The change was made to the provincial health orders on Oct. 25 but never announced publicly.
ViaSport has been reaching out to sports organizations about the change.
“Reflecting on concerns and questions raised by parents under these circumstances and many others have put in the order,” Dix said.
“What it is saying to people is if you are in those circumstances you have got to get vaccinated.”
This will include for example dance studios, scouts and girl guides and other community groups.
What is still unclear is how the province is going to enforce the expanding vaccine requirement. The province has struggled to mandate vaccines in the school system because they are not the direct employer.
The province is not the employer in this case, where community centres, other organizations and sports clubs would be the employer.
“It is our expectation in this area and all others British Columbians will follow the guidelines and orders,” Dix said.
“There is a variety of circumstances. the straightforward part is if you are supervising youth sports you should be vaccinated. This is not about punishing anyone. It is about the safety of the activity.”