The mayor explains that prior to the cluster, Sun Peaks had only documented 17 cases since March 2020. “We were doing fine but I think with the end of the season, people started to let their guard down a bit and there was a bit more travel.” He adds that there was an increase in visitors from outside of Sun Peaks, especially after BC’s three-week circuit-breaker restrictions closed Whistler Blackcomb. “I mean small numbers – we’re talking about hundreds of people but that’s just the nature of the beast,” Raine says. “Some of the employees have friends in other resorts. If their resorts close, they’re thinking about going around and visiting their buddies — especially if the mountain is open.”