The BC Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has extended the province-wide health orders and guidelines originally are now in effect until midnight on January 8, 2021. These orders include bans on most events, mandated use of masks indoors, and a ban on gatherings with people outside your household.

This announcement should have a significant impact on the usually very lucrative holiday period for many Fernie businesses. That’s assuming that Alberta’s ski families obey BC Health’s non-essential travel advisory asking skiers to stay home and ski their local mountain. These visitors support our tourism based businesses including retailers and restaurants. Fernie Alpine Resort is open, they sold more season passes than ever before and they’re selling day tickets, so we’ll know soon enough what the holidays will be like for businesses.

Brad Parsell, Executive director of the Fernie Chamber of Commerce, wrote, “We need to triple down on the shop local thing. Not just purchasing gifts locally, but trying to support restaurants and bars by eating there and getting takeout delivery,” “I know it sounds funny but you can be a tourist in your own town. Supporting local is now more important than ever.”

Parsell makes the following requests, “Please consider purchasing your gifts locally this holidays, support our restaurants/bars by eating out, getting take-out or delivery over the next few weeks. If you are having to cancel a trip somewhere, consider re-booking a staycation at a local hotel. Every dollar that stays circulating in our local economy at the moment helps keep our vulnerable businesses afloat.”

Parsell also brings attention to the communities mental health at this trying time. “The holidays can already be an alienating and lonely time for a lot of folks in our community, without the added stress of the pandemic. Check in on people with a text or phone call. Watch out for your neighbour. Organize virtual games nights on Zoom with your friends. Consider giving to a local charity that helps the less fortunate in the Elk Valley. And above all else, let’s be genuinely kind and compassionate with one another. It has been a long and stressful year, and many folks are really feeling that at the moment.”