It’s undoubtedly been a challenging few weeks in our province, as wildfires continue to burn in the central Interior, displacing thousands of people and putting property and lives at risk. I thank all those who have done their part to aid their fellow British Columbians, and my thoughts remain with those impacted by the fires across the province.
We’ve seen the effects of these disasters extend far beyond the places where the fires are burning, with government even taking the sensible step to limit travel to the central Interior in an effort to keep roads and accommodations available to those evacuating or fighting the fires. As a result, even here in the Cariboo we saw a significant slowdown in tourism, despite not being one of the areas included in the travel restrictions.
But as travel bans have been lifted, and summer winds down, I think it is more important than ever to support our tourism operators throughout the Interior, and especially in our local area.
The Cariboo-Chilcotin is home to some of the most incredible natural beauty, the best resorts, and kindest people in the province. We have amazing lakes, hiking trails, and a vast array of other outdoor recreation activities, along with social and cultural events, that can be enjoyed by locals and visitors alike.
Until September 6, people can take part in the Downtown Williams Lake Art Walk, visiting local businesses and admiring the work of local artists. Also coming up in the next month is the annual Williams Lake Harvest Fair, taking place September 9-10 at the Stampede grounds. I invite everyone to come along and experience the festivities happening here in our community.
As summer draws to a close, I encourage you to be a tourist in our region, taking part in local activities and maybe even planning a short getaway to a new favourite spot in the Cariboo — enjoying this wonderful place we get to call home.
Lorne Doerkson is the MLA for the Cariboo Chilcotin.
