With store shelves going bare across the province, B.C. Premier John Horgan is asking residents not to hoard food.
The flooding situation has led to panic buying in many places but particularly in areas such as Abbotsford, Hope and the Okanagan.
“Please do not hoard items. What you need, your neighbours need as well,” Horgan said.
“We are confident that we can restore our supply chains in a quick and orderly manner, provided we all act as we have been acting over the past two years — responding to challenges like this in a collaborative, cooperative way to make sure that everyone can come through this in one piece.”
A number of dairy and poultry operations are on hold due to the crisis and major highways and supply routes remain closed around the province.
Photos show grocery shelves stripped clean as people seem to be buying more items to avoid running out of food.
B.C.’s agricultural minister is assuring everyone the province will not run out of food, saying other provinces will pick up the slack.
“The minister, the federal Minister of Agriculture, Minister Bibeau, has reached out and dedicated her support,” Lana Popham said Wednesday.
“I’ve also heard directly from the Minister of Ontario, who has also lent her support as well. And so, (these are) early days in this disaster for agriculture. Things are still unfolding. But myself, along with my colleagues and the premier, we’re committed to making sure that agriculture is supported as much as possible.”
Public safety minister Mike Farnworth said Wednesday getting roads open around the province is a top priority and that’s why they declared a state of emergency.
“This declaration will allow us to implement any provincial emergency measures and allow access to all assets that may be necessary to prevent, respond or to alleviate the effects of an emergency,” he said.
“This may include measures to prohibit non-essential travel, to prevent hoarding, to prevent price gouging similar to what we had to do during the COVID-19 emergency. This may also include accessing any infrastructure at the province’s disposal. In short, we will be doing everything possible.”