Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry is drafting a new order related to COVID-19, and restricting the items that can be sold at farmers’ markets and similar community markets.
Farmers’ markets are on the list of essential services released this week by Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth, but during a March 27 briefing, Henry said markets that wish to remain open “must only allow vendors that serve food to be sold at these events.”
“Vendors of all other merchandise at these events are prohibited,” Henry said. “This is recognition of how important it is for us to be able to access locally grown and produced food and the farmers’ markets are an important part of that, but we don’t want them to be areas where people are going and mingling in large groups because of the risk right now that that entails.”
An earlier directive from the Centre for Disease Control said food includes “fresh, frozen and prepared foods, food carts, [and] liquor.” The CDC also said “hygiene supplies” could also be sold.
The precise wording of Henry’s order and how it defines “food” has not yet been released.
Henry’s new order comes after an announcement from Minister of Agriculture Lana Popham that the province is providing $55,000 to the BC Association of Farmers’ Markets to help its members build online platforms to allow continued sales.
“It’s important to support your community and each other during this time of uncertainty, and a virtual shopping trip to a farmers market is an easy way to get the groceries on your list and to Buy BC, while ensuring physical distancing measures are being followed,” said Popham.
“Moving farmers markets online will help ensure the health and safety of vendors and consumers, while still providing the same fresh and local food that families all over the province count on.”
The Sechelt Farmers’ and Artisan’s Market, one of the biggest on the Coast, is working on plans to go online and planning for some sort of physical presence at its usual location. Details are expected soon.
The District of Sechelt has approved the market to open sometime in April, “with approval from the BC Centre for Disease Control and Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH),” according to its latest update.
Sechelt Market president John Byrnes, who also sits on the board of the provincial organization, told Coast Reporter the market, and all the other markets on the Coast, appreciate the support they’ve been getting from VCH to help them make the changes needed to continue operating during the pandemic.
