Dan Reynard, Mayor of Kenora, says Manitobans are welcome to enjoy Kenora and the surrounding area this summer, with a few precautions.

“We are starting a more positive messaging campaign where if we see somebody's vehicle with an out of province plate, we are putting a welcome to Kenora message on their windshield thanking them for coming back and just reminding them to follow the proper protocol. Social distancing, hand washing, if you’re feeling ill, don’t go out into the public.”

Over the past three months, Manitoba’s number of positive cases of COVID-19 has been consistently low compared to the bordering provinces of Ontario, and even Saskatchewan.

While the total number of cases in Ontario is just over 30,000, only 25 cases in total come from the Kenora area, with 21 of those recovered.

“We have so much more in common with our neighbours to the West than we do with our governing body in southern Ontario", says Reynard, "I often remind people that it’s closer for us to drive to Calgary then it is to drive to Toronto.”

Ontario government officials asked the premier to consider a regional approach to re-opening.

“Before it was ‘all-for-one and one-for-all' attitude. It didn’t matter where you are in the province, we’re all going to follow the same rules. Now they’re looking at reopening at different stages on more of a regional level.” Says Reynard.

Recently, Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced that Ontario will be moving forward with phase 2 of reopening businesses in most regions except for the Greater Toronto Area where coronavirus cases are highest.

Reynard says Kenora’s economy relies on seasonal residents from Manitoba who spend the summer camping or at their cottages.

“The reality is, there are a number of businesses that operate 12 months a year, they can do that because of the revenues they generate from May 1st to October 1st so it is imperative to our economic success that we see those business being able to open.:

Phase 2 for Ontario looks different than Manitoba. For Ontario, social gatherings are increasing from 5 to 10 people. As of Friday, June 12, there will be beach access and additional camping at Ontario parks, as well as their restaurant patios, will now be able to serve customers.

Meanwhile, according to the Manitoba Government, residents who regularly travel outside of Manitoba to their seasonal residences that are located close to the border do not have to self-isolate when they return to Manitoba if they are not displaying symptoms of COVID-19. However, people are still encouraged to limit their use of local services.

In Manitoba's preliminary phase 3 reopening plan that was unveiled on Thursday, it was revealed the province is also considering opening up some of the travel restrictions to portions of Northwest Ontario even further.