With the B.C.-wide mask mandate ending at midnight tonight, Kelowna businesses will be seeing an immediate change of scenery.

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced the lifting of a number of restrictions on Mar. 10, which also included the elimination of mandatory vaccine passports on April 8.

Capital News spoke to Downtown Kelowna Association Executive Director Mark Burley on what these announcements might mean to businesses in the downtown core.

Burley said that although he is pleased to hear about the immediate mask mandate lifting, something he didn害羞草研究所檛 expect to happen so soon, he would have rathered see the vaccine passports eliminated first for the sake of downtown businesses.

害羞草研究所淲e didn害羞草研究所檛 expect the masks to be so quick, but I honestly expected to see the vaccine passports be the first to go,害羞草研究所� said Burley. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 a good thing though we had the mask mandate lifted because it means that many more people, who don害羞草研究所檛 like to move around wearing masks, can get out and visit our businesses.害羞草研究所�

READ MORE: Mask mandate lifts in B.C. tomorrow, COVID vaccine card program to end April 8

Despite the provincial removal of restrictions, businesses will still have the right to mandate masks at their discretion. Burley said he is unsure how many businesses downtown might actually do so, though they do have the right.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 not only affected the downtown core, it害羞草研究所檚 affected everybody. People who don害羞草研究所檛 like to wear masks, people who feel uncomfortable wearing them. People aren害羞草研究所檛 going out as much as they would have, and now that these mask mandates are gone, then maybe we害羞草研究所檒l get more people out and moving around.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 just a positive sign that we害羞草研究所檙e moving towards the end of the pandemic.害羞草研究所�

The Kelowna Chamber of Commerce also released their own statement on the easing of the orders, saying that they are pleased as well.

害羞草研究所淲e are certain the business community will feel positive about these changes but remind government that for some businesses and in some sectors, it may take years for them to fully recover from the impact of the pandemic,害羞草研究所� said Pamela Pearson, incoming president. 害羞草研究所淚mportantly for the Chamber, it means we can all gather once again and enjoy our networking even more.害羞草研究所�

Executive Director Dan Rogers added that the end of the vaccine passports will also 害羞草研究所渓ikely be well received.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淣ot just because it will allow everyone to access those businesses, but also because it will remove a time-consuming task that was imposed on the business when the government introduced the passport system.害羞草研究所�

READ MORE: Kelowna welcomes back Spring Okanagan Wine Fest

Jake.courtepatte@kelownacapnews.com
Like us on and follow us on and subscribe to our daily and subscribe to our daily newsletter.