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.