While the closure of Highway 4 to Tofino, Ucluelet and Port Alberni due to the wildfire at Cameron Lake hit many west coast businesses hard during the busy summer season, businesses in the Cowichan Valley got an unexpected boost.

Sonja Nagel, executive director of the Duncan Cowichan Chamber of Commerce, said there has been a large surge in volume at the chamber鈥檚 regional visitor centre since the detour route to the west coast through Youbou opened during the first week of June.

鈥淚magine all those people who drove here to take the detour and then decide not to because it鈥檚 being requested that the detour only be used for essential travel, and those who are in rented cars and then discover they aren鈥檛 covered by insurance if they take the gravel detour route,鈥� she said.

鈥淥f course there has been a huge number of cancellations at restaurants, hotels and B&Bs in Tofino and Ucluelet, but many of those people are deciding to stay in the Cowichan Valley for four or five days to see what we have to offer here. We鈥檝e received as many tourists at the visitor centre during the last week as we usually see at the height of the tourist season in July. It鈥檚 significant that a lot of them are Europeans and other international travellers that are now coming back after the pandemic.鈥�

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Nagel said she expects the number of visitors to the Valley due to the closure of Highway 4 will remain high for another few weeks as the highway isn鈥檛 expected to be fully open again for some time as the route is assessed and repaired where necessary.

Brent Clancy, president of the Cowichan Lake District Chamber of Commerce, also said that traffic has significantly increased in the communities around the lake due to the closure of Highway 4.

He said that while no studies have been done on the impacts of the closure on local businesses to date, anecdotal information suggests that restaurants, camping grounds, gas stations and other local businesses are benefiting from the situation.

鈥淚 visited Saywell Park and a lot of people were asking me for information on places to visit in the area,鈥� Clancy said.

鈥淭here are opportunities to be captured and the chamber is doing its best to let people know what amenities and accommodations we have here.鈥�

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Nagel said although businesses on the west coast are taking a hit from the road closure, they sent the visitors centre a charcuterie board from the Cowichan Valley鈥檚 Pickles鈥� Pantry last week to thank them for helping all the visitors coming through the area to use the detour.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e really grateful for what we鈥檙e doing here,鈥� Nagel said.

鈥淲hile their business may be down considerably, air traffic into the area has doubled since the highway was closed and some are choosing to take the detour so people are still getting there. Many of the businesses are also encouraging the local people to take 鈥榮taycations鈥� to boost their business. But the restaurants are struggling with supply issues.鈥�

Highway 4 reopened to single lane alternating traffic last weekend.

robert.barron@cowichanvalleycitizen.com
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