Mayor of southeastern B.C. ski town urges province to restrict interprovincial travel

The mayor of a small community in southeastern B.C., is still calling on the provincial government to restrict interprovincial travel, even though the premier said last week he wouldn't right now becausemost of itis work-related.

In a Jan. 19news release, the City of Rossland said council had asked B.C.Health Minister Adrian Dix and Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry to do more to ensure people outside of the municipality are followingpublic health orders to stayhome.

"From our community, we've heard a number of people who are concerned. They see visitors from out of town, or out-of-province licence plates," Rossland Mayor Kathy Moore said Friday to Chris Walker, the host of CBC's Daybreak South.

"Our concern is for short-term visitors who come for brief holidays, do not quarantineand congregate against the Provincial Health Officer's recommendations," Moore said in her statement.

On Thursday, Alberta's health minister also decidednot to ban interprovincial travel. However, earlier in the week,Manitoba Premier Brian Pallisterannounceda 14-day quarantine requirement for non-essential visitors to his province.

Moore says Rossland, which is home to the RED Mountain ski resort,has sent a letter to the province seeking clarification on what staying local means for her region.

"Honestly, they [the province] are in a tough predicament," she said.

She says council is suggesting local be defined as the areawithin the Kootenay Boundary health service delivery area, which covers municipalities such as Trail, Nelson and Castlegar.

Data from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control shows only one COVID-19 case in the Rossland area during Jan 1723, distinguishing the southern Interior town from similar skiing destinations such as Fernie, which declared a coronavirus cluster on Wednesday, and Whistler, where nearly 300 peopletested positive for the highly infectious disease in January.

Moore admits there's not much municipalities can do if non-local and out-of-province short-term visitors come to Rossland.

"The power that we have is just to communicate to potential visitors 'bear in mind that this is a tough time.We all have to be patient and get through it together,'" she said.

Tap the link below to hear Kathy Moore's interview on Daybreak South: