Kelowna Chamber asks premiers for travel between Alberta, B.C.

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The Kelowna Chamber of Commerce is calling on the B.C. and Alberta governments to encourage interprovincial travel between the provinces.

Chamber president Jeff Robinson penned the letter to B.C. Premier John Horgan and Alberta Premier Jason Kenney, asking them to create an interprovincial zone that would encourage tourism and kickstart the economy in both locations.

“Such encouragement would provide leadership in reinforcing our common bond as Canadians, and if inter-provincial travel occurs it will also help small businesses in both provinces, many of which are the lifeblood of rural communities on both sides of the border,” Robinson wrote.

“We look forward to welcoming Albertans back to supernatural British Columbia this summer and we suspect the same goes for Alberta chambers that have members that benefit from having British Columbians explore all that Alberta has to offer.”

Robinson said Albertans have been “positively contributing” to the B.C. economy and its “social well-being” for decades.

“We understand that any easing of restrictions should happen safely and include precautions, and we fully support efforts that encourage travellers to be respectful of social distancing and other health protocols that are in place in both provinces,” Robinson wrote.