In an era where the freedom to travel is being held on a pedestal, many locals-regardless of where they are in Ontario-are finding their own personal freedoms, especially the freedom to live safely, infringed upon by tourists, also known as the travelling public.
We have all been tourists at one point in time, no doubt. But the COVID-19 health crisis has changed many things, creating a swift demarcation in the sands of time between life with and without this insidious virus. Everything from grocery shopping to visiting friends has changed. So why is it that tourism is still being promoted, whether or not with social distancing protocols in place?
It is ironic, at a time when public land is being privatized at an alarming rate, that those who wish to travel (whether inter-provincially or within different regions) would argue “this land is your land; this land is my land” so to speak.
Yet, regardless of geography, locals everywhere apparently have no claim to the piece of Earth that supports and sustains them. To deny the rights of locals everywhere is to deny the very concept of home.
Of course, different parts of the globe have reacted differently to that ineffable thing called wanderlust.
In British Columbia’s Haida Gwaii region, the Council of Haida Nation had been imploring the public not to travel for the past several months, much to the chagrin of tourism operators. Despite going against provincial prescriptions for travel, the council’s decision has been regarded as being in the best interests of the people, lest a COVID-19 outbreak should occur in the archipelago known as “the edge of the world”.
Just last week, after Haida Gwaii experienced a long-dreaded outbreak of the virus, the provincial government stepped up to the plate and banned all non-resident travel within the region.
In nearby Prince Edward County, the effects of over-tourism can be felt throughout the local population. After months of being virus free, residents there are understandably concerned about the deluge of visitors from hot spots such as Montreal or Toronto.
The saying “leave no trace” appears to have no meaning for those who come to frolic in the vineyards or lakeside beauty of the County. With conservation areas being shut down due to over-use and other outdoor areas prohibitively full of tourists, many locals are finding themselves unable to move about freely, let alone safely, in their island paradise.
Just two weeks ago, during a Prince Edward County Council meeting, Prince Edward County Mayor Steve Ferguson noted that curbing the amount of visitors had not yet been considered.
Despite urging tourists to avoid the County during the recent civic long weekend, calls from the public to curb the flow of tourists are mounting.
Recently an online petition calling for local leaders to do more to limit the number of visitors had garnered over 5,000 signatures. With so much unrest, it is unclear how long the gates of paradise will be open or who will, ultimately, will hold the key.
-Sarah Williams