Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Operation Red Nose has decided not to provide ride service during the 2020 holiday season.

National Development Coordinator Marie-Chantal Fortin says after careful consideration, it just proved logistically impossible to provide the service during the pandemic.

“It was just becoming complicated for our volunteers to operate because we use the client’s vehicle, so we clients home inside their own vehicles, so it’s almost impossible for us to put in plexiglass for instance,” said Fortin. “It just logistically was just very, very complicated for us to do.”

Fortin says they will continue with their annual road safety campaign, despite not carrying out the traditional safe ride service.

“We define ourselves as being a road safety campaign, every year we always promote lots of other options,” said Fortin. “We always promote other ways to get home safe, and we’re going to continue doing that this year, whether it’s staying overnight, using public transport when that’s possible, or a designated sober driver, we’re going to continue promoting those safety methods.”

Fortin adds Operation Red Nose will be unveiling its 2020 awareness campaign in November, and plans to be back on the road for the 2021 holiday season.