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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2020 | Volume 33, No. 51
TODAY’S WEATHER
WE THE NORTHPAWS
ROTARY FOOD DRIVE
West Coast League ball club introduces itself to Kamloops
Yellow bags going out ahead of event on Saturday
Smoky and warm High 28 C, Low 13 C
SPORTS/A29
COMMUNITY/A23
Lack of refunds from Rocky Mountaineer Region’s frustrating many would-be travellers economic PANDEMIC
recovery expected to be slow
MICHAEL POTESTIO
STAFF REPORTER
michael@kamloopsthisweek.com
Numerous would-be travellers are furious with the Rocky Mountaineer as they are out thousands of dollars for rail tours that were cancelled due to the COVID19 pandemic. The frustrations centre on the company changing its terms and conditions for the 2020 season to offer people credits for future travel dates rather than refunded deposits that customers would be entitled to ordinarily if trips were cancelled well in advance. The company is instead offering credits for 110 per cent of monies paid — a temporary measure good for 2021 or 2022 that was implemented due to this year’s season being cancelled due to pandemic-related travel restrictions. The situation has people like Wayne and Ari Millar from Australia butting heads with the Canadian company after it initially refused to refund them $13,000 Australian dollars. Carole Green, husband Ralston and her parents, who are from New Brunswick, are out a combined $34,000 Canadian for a planned eight-day trip they were supposed to take this past June. The Millars’ rail tour was planned as a way to celebrate
JESSICA WALLACE STAFF REPORTER jessica@kamloopsthisweek.com
KTW FILE PHOTO Rocky Mountaineer, as seen above travelling through Kamloops on a previous spectacular summer day, pumps millions of dollars annually into the Kamloops economy, in addition to employing dozens of local workers. The rail-tour company was marking its 30th anniversary in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic led to the season’s cancellation.
Wayne’s retirement. For Green, she took the trip to watch over her elderly parents, who have health issues. The Millars opted to start a Facebook page dubbed “Rocky Mountains Train Rorts” in May to share their experience and advice with others trying to get refunds. The social media page to date has nearly 200 members, one of whom tabulated lost deposits among 45 of the group’s members
in the $400,000 range. Myriad concerns were raised amongst comments from some 20-plus individuals KTW perused between social media, travel review websites and KTW’s own email messages. Many said they cannot or might not be able to take their trips in the next two years, which is why they booked for 2020. Other points of contention include age of travellers and travel
fears due to the pandemic, medical or financial needs, inability to get insurance and a lack of compassion in Rocky Mountaineer keeping monies for services that weren’t provided when other companies have provided refunds. Some people reported being able to get a refund, but only after months of putting pressure on the company. See ROCKY MOUNTAINEER, A20
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Economic recovery in Kamloops from the COVID-19 pandemic won’t be easy. It will be slow and depend fully on treatment of COVID-19 or a vaccine. The biggest challenge is not knowing how long it will take, according to the city’s mayor, who pointed to a second wave. However, the city and its community partners have come up with a series of recommendations to help facilitate a local economic rebound, adapting to the new normal and also planning for the future. Some examples include adding cycling infrastructure as more bikes roll out of stores and creating a digital shopping mall for local businesses to shift online. The city has released a report on local impacts and recommendations of the COVID-19 pandemic, the culmination of three months’ worth of meetings. See CITY’S UNEMPLOYMENT, A11