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The British Columbia (BC) government said it is limiting the amount of fuel people can purchase at forecourts and restricting non-essential travel as motorways begin to reopen following torrential rains and mudslides.
Provincial public safety minister Mike Farnworth said non-essential vehicles will be limited to about 30 litres per trip to the petrol station, in an order expected to last until December 1st.
“These steps will keep commercial traffic moving, stabilise our supply chains and make sure everyone gets home safely,” Mr Farnworth told a news conference.
“We are asking people not to travel through severely affected areas for their own well-being, but also to make sure the fuel we do have goes toward the services people need in this time of crisis.”
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Environment Canada says 24 BC communities received close to 100 millimetres of rain from Saturday to Monday.
Mr Farnworth said police will not patrol gas stations to make sure customers are complying with the new restrictions.
“The majority of British Columbians will do the right thing,” he said. “If we are greedy, we will fail. It’s that’s simple.”
The government also has prohibited non-essential travel on sections of several highways.
Transportation minister Rob Fleming said vehicles transporting essential products or delivering vital services can use the highways, while so can people returning to their principle residences after being stranded.
“It is not open to recreational or non-essential travel,” he said. – AP