Burnaby residents will still remember those who died in the cause of freedom this Nov. 11.
They are just asked to stay at home to do it.
Representatives of both Royal Canadian Legions have told the NOW that the usual public events surrounding Remembrance Day have been cancelled due to COVID-19.
There will be no public ceremonies or parades at the Cenotaphs in north or south Burnaby.
The legions members will be holding small, private ceremonies with only a few invitees to lay wreaths.
An area around each Cenotaph will be roped off for this purpose. They are encouraging the public to not attend this year.
As for poppy sales, restrictions due to COVID-19 mean most legion branches won't set up donation tables or have volunteers at store entrances — both familiar sights in the weeks ahead of Nov. 11.
Instead, the campaign will feature electronic donation boxes that accept tap payments, along with unmanned traditional donation boxes. The legion will also be selling non-medical masks online and through certain branches to support its work.
People are also encouraged to donate to the campaign online.
Nujma Bond, communications manager for the Royal Canadian Legion's national headquarters, said planning the altered campaign began soon after the pandemic set in this spring and it became clear a typical, in-person campaign might be off the table.
Traditional poppy boxes will be set up at approximately 25,000 locations, such as grocery stores and banks, with donors encouraged to pick their own poppy pins. London Drugs, Starbucks, Princess Auto and HearingLife locations will have them for sale. Donations will also be accepted at those stores through the debit payment terminals.
"We are hopeful and confident that people will still be able to receive a physical poppy if they so choose," Bond said.
- With files from the Canadian Press
