The provincial attorney general has criticized the owner of a ranch in Kamloops, BC for refusing to accept a vaccinated international traveler.
Kamloops Equinisity Ranch, in the central interior of the province, is run by owner Liz Mitten Ryan. He told CBC News that he catered almost exclusively to international travelers, including England, Switzerland and Australia.
In a report in The Guardian on Thursday, a potential traveler named JW York said he had booked a $ 3,200 (£ 2,000) withdrawal with Ryan in May 2020, but the trip was suspended due to blockages and other restrictions. pandemics.
According to York, they were recently told that they were no longer welcome on Equinisity because they were fully vaccinated against COVID, and that they would not receive any refund due to ranch policy.
Ryan confirmed that the ranch had a “no vax” policy for customers, even though international travelers they must be fully vaccinated to enter Canada. The Guardian article quoted her as saying that vaccines were a “tool for depopulating biogenic weapons” that could be transferred to animals.
BC Attorney General Mike Farnworth called the whole episode “outrageous.”
“I have asked my ministry, the consumer protection branch, to study this,” he told CBC News.
“That’s wrong. Like, you want to subscribe to a labor conspiracy theory. That’s yours. But don’t scam people like that. It’s unethical.”
Refunds will be made, says the owner’s husband
In a statement, Kevin Ryan, Liz Ryan’s husband, said the ranch would eventually send refunds to customers.
“For personal reasons this summer, [Liz] has implemented a policy of only unvaccinated guests, “the statement said.” No, I emphasize, I realize that no regulations were being violated.
“Due to the current public interest in this situation, and the subsequent informed conversations, it is now realized that it is appropriate that the bail, in this case, should be returned to comply with the said regulation.”
Ryan told CBC News that all deposits “of a similar state” would be returned by the end of the month.
On its website, Equinisity says it offers “a unique journey” for customers to find “true healing” through meditation, horseback riding, and other activities. Ryan says his wife had been running the establishment for more than 15 years.
Their pricing guide shows that individual customers can expect to pay $ 2,800 for an eight-day retreat, while couples can expect to pay $ 2,400 each.
Prior to her husband’s statement about the refunds, Liz Ryan had suggested that any vaccinated traveler sell her reservation. He also said his ranch had been closed for two years, the longest period of his career, due to border restrictions.
BC Attorney General Mike Farnworth, pictured here in February 2020, says his staff would investigate whether the ranch had received any COVID relief funding. (Mike McArthur / CBC)
Farnworth told CBC News that Equinisity’s position on vaccinated travelers would give international travelers a bad impression of the province.
“It sends a terrible message in terms of tourism here to British Columbia and Canada,” he said. “Because, let’s face it, this person who made this trip will now tell his friend … ‘Why would you want to come here?'”
Farnworth said his staff would investigate whether the ranch had received any COVID relief funding and that the ranch would not be eligible under any circumstances, given the requirements for vaccinated travelers.
“I don’t think it’s a particularly good business practice,” he said.