The last two years have been way too politically charged for my liking.  We’re just trying to provide a home where a fantastic community of health-minded people can bring their friends and family members to pursue fitness in a fun, safe, all-inclusive, non-judgemental environment.  We’ve tried ever so hard to keep our heads down and our politics to ourselves because, after all, I’m a fitness coach, what do I know from politics and who really cares what my political opinion is anyway?   
We’ve tried to do what seemed safest at any given moment informed by the medical professionals in our midst far more qualified than me to make accurate risk assessments and offer good advice. 

As you have almost certainly heard by now, BC will become the second Canadian province to institute vaccine cards requiring them to access non-essential services like gyms.  If you wish to continue working out or coaching at Empower you will need to have had your first COVID shot by September 13th and your second shot by October 24th.

A local media company reached out to interview me on this subject as the news broke, hoping for some juicy controversy.  They were hoping perhaps that I would appeal to public sympathy with tales of how these new regulations will crush our business already crippled by COVID.  They were disappointed and dropped me like a hot potato from the interview schedule when they learned that I do not think this new requirement will have much impact on our business at all.  Fact is, at Empower, I’d guesstimate over 75% of our members have received their 2nd shot already and another 20% have received their first.  For those who don’t want the shot, we will continue to offer Zoom options. 

Might this reduce the number of new members accessing the gym?  I doubt it.  Our target demographic is strongly inclined toward vaccination.  My response to the announcement was actually  “Meh.”  I don’t love it but it barely affects us.  As owner of a private business I cringe at being required to perform the government’s COVID vaccine enforcement work for free with the threat of fines or closures looming should we fail to comply.  But I also worked for years as a doorman and bouncer screening ID’s to enforce government mandated liquor licensing laws.  The difference being that in the latter case I signed up for the job knowing the role I would be playing.  

But my personal feelings on the subject aren’t really relevant.  With all we’ve been through the past two years, business-wise, this seems a minor imposition.  No closures.  No masks required.  No stations.  No reduced class sizes.  No restrictions on high intensity group classes.  No problem.  For the overwhelming majority of our members it is business as usual.