Border city businesses call on federal government to drop COVID border restrictions
Businesses in border cities are calling on the government to lift COVID-19 border restrictions, including suspending the controversial ArriveCan app.
Many businesses say they depend on American travellers to help keep their businesses afloat, but U.S. visitors have continued to stay away this year.
“A lot of it has to do with, I think, how hard it is to get here,” said Tammy Elliott, who owns and operates the Dockside Restaurant located at the St. Clair River in Sarnia.
Elliott said, in a normal year, U.S. visitors account for 25 per cent of overall business. This year, it’s down to just five per cent.”
“We do have some boaters here that are American that go through the whole process of ArriveCan and all of the stuff, but it definitely is down.”
The Sarnia Lambton Chamber of Commerce has joined a coalition of Chambers in calling on the federal government to lift the remaining restrictions, and most importantly, suspend the ArriveCan app.
According to the Sarnia Lambton Chamber, visits to Canada are still barely half of what they were pre-COVID.
CEO Carrie McEachran said that makes it tough for tourism-dependent businesses to bounce back.
“Tourism has decreased over the past three years. Now we’re in a recovery period, and it’s hard to recover when we have all these restrictions holding us back,” said McEachran.
The ArriveCan app processes traveller information, including their vaccination status. The federal government said it’s the easiest way for travelers to show they meet public health requirements.
“Show us the proof that this is actually impacting public health. If we can see the proof, we will stand behind that one hundred per cent,” McEachran added.
Last week, Ontario’s chief medical officer of health Dr. Kieran Moore said the province’s seventh wave had peaked, as COVID rates appear to be falling again.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Ottawa public school board, 3 Toronto-area school boards launch lawsuit against social media giants
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and three school boards in the Toronto-area have launched legal action against social media giants, accusing them of "disrupting students' fundamental right to education."
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
Statistics Canada reports real GDP up 0.6% in January as Quebec strikes end
Statistics Canada says real gross domestic product grew 0.6 per cent in January, helped by the end of public sector strikes in Quebec in November and December.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 mm among weather alerts in effect for 7 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres, air quality advisories and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.
Ukrainian child asylum seekers in St. John’s get class of their own
Roughly 50 children will gathered in a St. John’s classroom for the first time on Saturday for unique lessons on Ukrainian language, culture and history.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Donald Trump assails judge and his daughter after gag order in N.Y. hush-money criminal case
Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at the New York judge who put him under a gag order that bars him from commenting publicly about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors in his upcoming hush-money criminal trial.