VICTORIA -- Some British Columbia communities are urging residents to show kindness during the COVID-19 pandemic following media reports of confrontations and rudeness shown to people driving vehicles with out-of-province licence plates.

Revelstoke Mayor Gary Sulz is calling for residents to welcome one and all to his southeast B.C. mountain community after a local resident reportedly found an expletive-filled note on his vehicle, which bears Alberta licence plates, to return to the province.

Sulz posted a message on Revelstoke's Facebook page encouraging residents to reach out and welcome everybody arriving in the community, whether through travel, employment or family matters.

The nearby community of Sicamous posted a message asking residents to stop looking at licence plates and start saying hello to people.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says there are many essential workers travelling across borders and many of the people driving vehicles with Alberta plates could be B.C. residents.