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Nick Wells
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2020-07-13
B.C. Indigenous groups keeping borders closed to limit COVID-19 spread, despite growing economic impact
"Indigenous bands along the west coast of British Columbia say their borders will remain closed to tourists and non-residents, despite the economic impact, as they work to raise awareness about the threat COVID-19 poses to their communities." "'A lot of our communities are remote and testing is not easily available,' she said. 'If you’re in Port Alberni, or Nanaimo, or Victoria, or somewhere (else), you can get testing and get results in 24 hours. It’s not the same with our communities.' "The closures have resulted in disputes between Indigenous groups and local businesses. "The Haida Nation in Haida Gwaii have turned away non-residents at the ferry terminal, discouraged leisure travel and called on two local fishing lodges to rethink their reopening plans."