The view from Mount Kobau shows Spotted Lake and Osoyoos Lake in the distance. (File photo)

Dale Boyd

Osoyoos Times

The local tourism association is estimating businesses in the Town of Osoyoos stand to collectively lose $6 million dollars in revenue by June due to social distancing measures put in place to flatten the curve of COVID-19.

In a letter received by Osoyoos town council at their April 6 regular meeting, Daniel Bibby, chair of Destination Osoyoos and executive director Kelley Glazer ask for support from town in the form of deferring municipal licensing fees and property tax increases in 2021.

“As you are aware, Osoyoos’s visitor economy has been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. Hotels, restaurants, bars, attractions, retail, and Spas have either closed, laid-off staff or reduced operations to the bare minimum. In some cases, businesses are already on the verge of collapse.”

The COVID-19 pandemic and provincial and federal containment measures have been a “direct and severe blow to many industries,” the letter states, calling tourism and hospitality industries “the first and hardest hit sectors aside from health.”

“With all leisure and business travel now at a standstill, Osoyoos stands to lose in excess of $6 million dollars in revenue during the March to June period alone.”

Many local businesses do not have sufficient cash reserves to pay fixed costs such as rent and utilities, the letter states, noting numerous operators in the area do not qualify for provincial or federal COVID-19 financial programs.

“Consequently, as many as half of tourism businesses may never re-open without direct assistance from all levels of government.”

Destination Osoyoos recommended council defer any property tax increases to 2021, delay property tax payments until the fall and provide flexible payment options, defer fees on various licenses or other municipal fee obligations and streamline the regulation or permitting process to allow businesses to launch, re-open or potentially expand operations in future.

Destination Osoyoos also asked council to advocate for the needs of small businesses “especially tourism and hospitality enterprises.”

Town council received the letter, but did not address the specific requests at the April 6 meeting.