Image Credit: Flickr / Government of BC

By Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Lorne Doerkson

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BRITISH COLUMBIANS ARE FINALLY ABLE to see the light at the end of this very long COVID-19 tunnel. After more than a year of observing important health measures to keep each other safe during this global pandemic, the Province has released a blueprint for how B.C.’s ‘re-start’ will slowly unfold.

Like many of you, I was thrilled to learn it won’t be too long before we can return to the people and activities we’ve been separated from for so long. But it’s important we still remain vigilant as the restart process unfolds so that we don’t set ourselves back. We have come so far, but we need to keep encouraging each other to get vaccinated and continue to follow public health protocols to ensure the reopening process won’t be halted.

As excited as I am to welcome the return of ‘life as usual,’ I know there are still many challenges ahead. The economic struggles for B.C. businesses will not disappear the moment that restrictions are lifted. Many have already had to shut their doors for good, while others continue to fight tooth and nail to survive. Our Official Opposition has worked hard to try to ensure small business owners have access to government supports, but sadly those programs have been mired in red tape and found to be too restrictive in their eligibility criteria.

In the Cariboo region for example, big attractions like the Williams Lake Stampede don’t appear to be eligible for the government’s $50 million Major Anchor Attractions Program. The NDP’s criteria for this program has been very confusing and unclear, but Stampede organizers have applied anyway — just as Tourism Minister Melanie Mark suggested they do, even though she failed to provide any clarity on whether they will actually be successful.

If they are denied, this would be baffling to me. This event attracts visitors from all over the province and injects $3 million into our local economy. This popular event has been cancelled for a second year in a row and is so deserving of help given its significance to our community and our economy.

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Whether it’s B.C.’s significant tourism industry or the many others devastated by this pandemic, what our Opposition team has called for is a detailed sector-by-sector plan to rebuild our province’s economic health. Unfortunately, we have yet to see one from the NDP.

Indeed, event organizers and business owners in the Cariboo and beyond are stressed about how they will emerge from this pandemic, if they are able to survive at all. And that leads to my concern about people’s mental health as B.C.’s restart plan unfolds.

B.C.’s mental health system was stretched even before the pandemic. Now, we must consider how many more British Columbians will be in need of mental health supports due to the pandemic. COVID-19 has taken a toll on many aspects of our well-being, and it is my hope that the government will put additional resources into ensuring people can access the tools they need to heal in a timely manner.

Although we will take many positive steps towards reopening B.C. in the coming weeks and month, it may take longer for some of us to recover from the mental, physical and financial impacts this pandemic has had on our lives. I encourage everyone to approach this process with patience and kindness, and — when you’re ready — a big hug or high-five for the people you’ve been missing over the past 15 months.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group.