B.C. tourism industry dealing with pandemic, wildfires and record staffing shortages
Tourism operators across B.C. trying to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic are now facing more challenges, including raging wildfires and record low staffing levels.
The Rocky Mountaineer company only runs sightseeing tours from spring to fall, and because of the COVID-19 pandemic, October 2019 was the last tour. Operations finally resumed this year on July 5.
“(We had), obviously, all the procedures to be safe with COVID, and then the fires started, so that’s impacted our train,” said CEO Mark Southern.
Some rail lines across B.C. have been closed due to fires burning either on or near the tracks.
“The corridor between Vancouver and Kamloops has been mostly closed, also between Quesnel and Whistler has been mostly closed; we haven’t been able to get trains through there,” Southern said. “That’s where we’ve been motor-coaching guests between Vancouver and Kamloops and then putting them back on a train.”
Still, Southern admits the challenges of altering operations to get around wildfires are “minor inconveniences compared to the devastation some of these communities have had to go through.”
Hotel operators are also being impacted, according to the B.C. Hotels Association. The group’s president and CEO, Ingrid Jarrett, says some areas are seeing cancelled bookings.
“South Okanagan, certainly the Interior and Kamloops, I think people are very cautious both to understand road openings or closures, as well as air quality,” Jarrett said.
Large parts of the southern Interior and Okanagan remained under an air quality advisory Saturday, though smoky conditions were beginning to ease with cooler temperatures through the week.
On top of the pandemic and wildfire challenges, the industry is also dealing with record low staffing levels.
Jarrett said between 30,000 and 35,000 workers are needed across the province right now.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs to start for Canucks in Game 1 vs. Oilers
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs will start in net for the Canucks as Vancouver kicks off a second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers Wednesday night.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.