As Sun Peaks gets ready for the upcoming ski season, the mayor says officials will be enforcing all of the provincial health orders in place.

Al Raine says that means that no more than six visitors will be allowed in private homes or vacation rentals until further notice. He’s asking owners of vacation rentals to ensure that their guests are following the rules from Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry.

“I think the issue that we are trying to prevent is making sure there are no parties where there is going to be an outbreak of COVID-19. Our goal here is to really make sure that people are aware that there are $2,000 fines if you go against the regulations,” he said on NL Newsday.

“Our goal is to have everybody come up and enjoy themselves skiing, families have a great time, but we don’t want to see COVID-19 popup here or get into a situation where we would have to close down or introduce much tighter restrictions.”

Bylaw officers in Sun Peaks are working with the RCMP to ensure that people are following the rules throughout the resort municipality. In addition to the $2,000 fine to party hosts or property owners, Raine says there is also the possibility of a $200 fine for people who refuse to leave these properties when asked.

That said, Raine notes he is confident that most people want to play by the rules, which he says will help Sun Peaks and other communities navigate the winter months.

“I look around and I would say 90 per cent of the people are wearing masks when they’re in inside spaces and even outside spaces,” he added. “I think most people want to play by the rules and I think if we do, we can come out of this next spring hopefully with a vaccination. I’m hopeful that within a year this will all be behind us.”