BC Supreme Court Rules Provincial Health Officer Justified in Extending Vaccine Mandate for Health Workers

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry speaks in the press theatre at the legislature in Victoria, B.C., on March 10, 2022. The Canadian Press/Chad Hipolito

A B.C. Supreme Court judge has ruled that the provincial health officer (PHO) was justified in extending the province’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for health-care workers past October 2023.

Bonnie Henry’s decision was challenged by 15 health-care workers who argued the mandate was too broad and infringed on their charter rights. The court document notes that about 1,800 healthcare workers lost their jobs for choosing not to take the vaccine. Around 35-40 workers were given medical exemptions.