'Hope for the best': Point Roberts residents welcome Canada-U.S. land border reopening
Communities along the U.S.-Canada border are breathing a sigh of relief, after the White House confirmed it will reopen the land border in early November.
Land and sea borders have been shut down for 19 months due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic.
The closures have had a massive impact on nearby communities like Point Roberts.
The small pene-exclave is separated from the rest of Washington state by water on three sides.
Land access to the community is only possible by travelling through B.C.
Brian Calder, the president of the Point Roberts Chamber of Commerce, described the shutdown as “economically devastating and a humanitarian crisis that was mostly unnecessary.”
“Half our people here in Point Roberts, including me, are dual citizens. We’re Canadian and U.S. Ninety per cent of our economy comes from Canada, not from the USA. All of our water and power comes from British Columbia,” explained Calder.
Fully vaccinated Americans have been able to enter Canada for non-essential reasons since Aug. 9.
However, the U.S. upheld its closure, angering snowbirds and those in the travel industry.
Air travel has also continued throughout the pandemic, with travellers being allowed to fly with proof of a negative COVID-19 test.
Calder said he welcomes the reopening plan, but is skeptical.
“I've seen the realization of what happened to us on the ground. Every month, the carrot's out there for a year and a half. You have to be really stupid to not really see it in writing before you're going to believe it,” he told CTV News.
Several businesses in Point Roberts have shut down during the pandemic due to a dramatic drop in tourism.
“Whether we recover in two years, five years, that's the wild card, and we're obviously going to hope for the best,” said Calder.
He’s concerned that many of their regular visitors will not come back.
“The boats are gone, they've left. They left a year and a half ago. They took their boats out of the marina, 650 of them. The gasoline, are they going to come down? Have they found another place for their parcel post? In a year and a half, they probably have,” Calder said.
The White House has not given a definitive answer as to whether AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine, which has not been approved for use in the U.S., would be accepted under the new travel requirements.
However, the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said it would accept any of the vaccines approved for emergency use by the World Health Organization, which would include AstraZeneca.
The U.S. CDC said it’s still working to formalize procedures for admitting those who have received mix and match doses.
An exact date for the land border reopening has not been given.
With files from CTV’s Nafeesa Karim and Ian Holliday
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING 122 active wildfires burning across Canada, 32 considered 'out of control'
The 2024 wildfire season has begun, and it's shaping up to follow last year's unprecedented destruction in kind, with thousands of square kilometres already consumed.
B.C. parents sentenced to 15 years for death of 6-year-old boy
A British Columbia Supreme Court judge has sentenced the mother and stepfather of a six-year-old boy who died from blunt-force trauma in 2018 to 15 years in prison.
Veteran TSN sportscaster Darren Dutchyshen has died
Veteran TSN broadcaster Darren 'Dutch' Dutchyshen, one of Canada’s best-known sports journalists, has died. He was 57. His family says 'he passed as he was surrounded by his closest loved ones.'
Miller scores late as Canucks grind out 3-2 win over Oilers in Game 5
J.T. Miller scored in the final minute of the game and the Vancouver Canucks came back for a 3-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 5 of their second-round playoff series Thursday.
Think twice before sharing 'heartbreaking' social media posts, RCMP warn
Mounties in B.C. are urging people to think twice before sharing "heartbreaking posts" on social media.
Police issue Canada-wide warrant for Regina homicide suspect
Police have issued a Canada-wide warrant for a man wanted in a homicide which occurred in Regina on May 12.
Trudeau calls New Brunswick's Conservative government a 'disgrace' on women's rights
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau assailed New Brunswick's premier and other conservative leaders on Thursday, calling out the provincial government's position on abortion, LGBTQ youth and climate change.
Kevin Spacey receives star support as he fights to get his career back
Kevin Spacey is pushing back on the 'rush to judgment' against him and is being backed by some big names as he seeks to reclaim his acting career.
Speaker cuts ties with Sask. Party, alleges he faced threats, harassment from gov't MLAs
The Speaker of the Saskatchewan Legislature Randy Weekes has severed ties with the Sask. Party after accusing some members of harassment and intimidation tactics, including a situation he claimed saw the Government House Leader bring a hunting rifle to the legislative building.