B.C. private campgrounds are reopening and many are accepting out-of-province guests

Privately owned campgrounds in B.C. are reopening with protocols in place to stop the spread of Covid-19 and encourage physical distancing. However, unlike provincially run campsites, many private operators are welcoming guests from out-of-province.

Many private campgrounds are preparing to open June 1, which is the same date provincial campsites are allowing recreational campers to return.

Graham Todd's family is heading into its 64th season welcoming visitors to Todd's RV and Camping on the Okanagan Lake waterfront in Peachland, B.C.

Todd said, this year, things will look a little bit different.

"The one big thing, though, is that for the whole season we are not going to have our washrooms open and so that means we are not going to have any tenters," Todd said.

"You have to be totally self contained — trailer, R.V. or motorhome."

• B.C. closes provincial campsites to non-residents this summer

The campground is opening less campsites this year in order to have fewer people on the grounds this summer.

Todd said some of their customers are families that have been coming to the Okanagan from Alberta for many summers. His campground will be allowing these guests and other out-of-province campers to stay, despite the restrictions provincial campgrounds have.

"If they are healthy and everything, until [health officials] say they can't come, we are welcoming them for sure," Todd said.

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In nearby Kelowna, the Willow Creek Campground is also welcoming out-of-province guests, according to manager Stephen Goldie.

"We don't see a problem here," he said. "We get a lot of regulars returning and of course we are allowing the Albertans."

Other privately owned campsites are accepting only campers from Alberta who all live in the same household and are restricting multi-family groups.

This week, B.C. Parks reopened its reservation system for B.C. residents only, to book single campsites as part of Phase 2 restrictions during the pandemic.

The B.C. government is asking people to stay in their home communities until the province enters Phase 3 of the pandemic,  which is expected to happen sometime in June.