Victoria International Marina and COVID-19 Concerns

Victoria International Marina and COVID-19 Concerns

Health and Safety will always be our number one priority at the Victoria International Marina. The COVID-19 pandemic is certainly no exception and we assure all those that interact with us that we continue to be diligent in heeding the advice and recommendations of our world’s leading health officials

Should you have any questions after reviewing the information below, please feel free to call us or email us at +1-778-432-0477 (info@vimarina.ca).

Information on COVID-19 is being updated on such a frequent basis that we encourage you to rely on the information provided directly by leading health officials and not this or any other third party. We will continue to communicate those facts that relate directly to our business but encourage you to access information from those organizations charged with this important front-line information. Several key information sources are provided below.

We understand that the most important thing anyone can do to prevent infection is to wash hands regularly and avoid touching your face. To help reduce the risk of infection:

• The VIM team washes hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. We understand that using soap and water is the single most effective way of reducing the spread of infection.
• We have provided alcohol-based hand rubs (ABHR) at various stations within our facility to supplement hand washing, understanding that this does not replace washing or for visibly soiled hands.
• We avoid touching our face, eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
• We cover our mouths and noses with a disposable tissue or the crease of our elbow when should we sneeze or cough.
• We are regularly cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces.
• We are not sharing food, drinks, utensils, etc.
• Handwashing posters have been placed at various locations in the facility to remind staff and guests of this simple yet important activity.
• All staff must stay home if they feel they have been exposed to the virus or if they are showing any signs of sickness.

Travel to or through Canadian Waters

To protect Canadians from the outbreak of COVID-19, the Canadian Government has put in place travel restrictions that limit travel to Canada. Until further notice, most foreign nationals cannot travel to Canada, even if they have a valid visitor visa or electronic travel authorization (eTA). These restrictions stop most non-essential (discretionary) travel to Canada.

Entry into Canada is permitted in some cases. We produced the following flow-chart to provide you a simplified overview of travel eligibility. Please note that we do our best to keep this chart as current/accurate as possible; however, due to the ever-fluid nature of the COVID-19 policy, we encourage you to also visit the CBSA COVID19 Travel Information website or contact them by phone at 1-800-461-9999 (if calling from Canada or the USA) or +1-204-983-3500 (if calling from outside Canada or the USA), for the most current information. We are also available to help you answer questions.

Click for Process Diagram CBSA and Cruising through BC

The Docks
We understand that yachting is inherently a form of self-isolation and thus we remain open to yachting guests who wish to berth with us. As the status of international travel and international borders is a highly dynamic situation, we advise you to check the government websites before travelling internationally. The Victoria International Marina is a private marina and is not open to the public. It is a standard practice that all visitors to the marina are required to register at the offices before being provided access to the docks. As an added precaution, we will be screening all access to the docks, allowing only essential service providers and approved guests of the yacht, which will be escorted directly to the yacht by marina staff.

Social Distancing and Gatherings
Large gatherings are, of course, a normal part of our marina operations and yachting in general. In line with the recommendations of leading health professionals and our Prime Minister’s Office at this time, we are not allowing any large gatherings (i.e., currently 50 people) within the marina buildings until such time as these recommendations are lifted.

Resources
General Information:

Captains and Crew

British Columbia

Canada

Global

  • For the latest global case counts, please visit the World Health Organization (WHO) Novel coronavirus (COVID-19) Situation Reports.
  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a Geographic Risk Assessment that shows the latest information about the countries with the widespread sustained transmission. All unnecessary travel to these areas should be avoided, and MedAire suggests monitoring global health authority travel advisories regularly and adjusting planning accordingly.