The review, which was unveiled by Minister of Public Safety and solicitor general Mike Farnworth March 16, will focus on operational responses to the pandemic by the B.C. government from January 2020 into 2022. It will include looking at what aspects of preparedness, engagement, communications and implementation worked well, what changes were made to improve operational effectiveness as the pandemic evolved and what improvements can be made to better prepare for pandemics and emergencies.
According to the province, the goal is to learn about how government agencies worked together to address the effects of COVID-19 that affected everyone, changed rapidly and continues to cause a high level of uncertainty. The scope of the review does not include an assessment of the public policy decisions made by government to deal with the consequences of the pandemic and decisions made by the provincial health officer.
Decisions made about economic recovery, such as supports for small businesses and families will not be part of the review. This review will, however, look at how these decisions were made.
Until April 20, people in British Columbia can provide written feedback about how they have been affected by government’s operational measures and communication throughout the pandemic. A report with a comprehensive summary of the findings is expected by fall.
See here for more information on the review’s terms of reference.
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