B.C.’s Finance Minister isn’t ruling out some sort of stimulus fund for businesses that depend on summer tourism dollars in Kamloops and elsewhere.

The province is recommending people to avoid long-distance travel, and Carole James says she expects international travel won’t be back until next year.

Formally, non-essential travel is closed at the Canada-U.S. border until at least June 21.

“There are discussions about local tourism programs and opportunities for people in their own communities who may not have gone out and visited local areas in their own home communities. So we will be having discussions with the tourism sector, and I expect there will be pieces and recommendations coming forward for discussion.”

James says $1.5 billion is earmarked for economic recovery and she says government is listening to different sectors about what they need.

“We are looking at sectors, we are listening to sectors. Ministers are meeting with sectors and bringing ideas forward. That’s part of the ongoing discussion that’s happening right now. I don’t think it’s going to be an easy road ahead over the next year,” James says.

“Certainly with international travel, it looks like not coming back over this next year. That’s going to be a real challenge.”