B.C.’s essential services list does not include rental

The B.C. provincial government has released its list of essential services allowed to remain operating during the coronavirus pandemic shutdown orders and, unlike Ontario’s list, equipment rental companies are not on it.

The list does, however, exempt “critical infrastructure service providers,” with a list of just about every industrial-commercial-institutional construction sector there is, so B.C. equipment rental stores should not have any difficulty justifying staying open with appropriate social distancing and hygiene procedures.

Event rental operations providing shelter, furniture and other needs to health care operations may be able to continue operations.