Point Roberts grocery store owner says not opening border to Canadians could be final blow for her business
Ali Hayton is feeling frustrated, disappointed, and most of all, worried.
The owner of Point Roberts’ only grocery store, the International Marketplace, has been hanging on by a thread since the U.S. exclave in Washington State, which borders the Metro Vancouver city of Tsawwassen, was virtually cut-off some 16 months ago.
And Hayton says Ottawa’s announcement to allow fully-vaccinated Americans to enter Canada starting August 9th, without a matching announcement or plan from Washington, has added a new level of confusion.
“If we don’t get that reciprocal Canadian influx, what was devastating, is going to be just absolutely fatal,” Hayton said.
She added that she won’t blame her own customers, who she described as “patient” and “supportive,” one bit for finally getting out of tiny Point Roberts, even if there’s absolutely no one to replace them.
It was just over 10 days ago when Washington Gov. Jay Inslee visited the point, and promised Hayton some state funding that could help buy the business a little extra time.
And while Hayton said she’s grateful, she’s concerned about the silence she’s now hearing around whether the U.S. plans to extend its land border closure to non-essential travel.
It’s currently set to expire Wednesday at 11:59PM.
And no one has given her a clue, she said, one way or the other:
“The fact that nobody’s talking about it, it’s scary,” Hayton said.
While U.S. President Biden spoke after a cabinet meeting Tuesday, he didn’t address the border closure, and didn’t take questions, though on Monday his press secretary indicated the decision to extend the closure or not would be made based on the science.
An email Tuesday to Gov. Jay Inslee’s executive director of communications wasn’t returned.
Nick Martin, the communications director for U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene, who represents Point Roberts, told CTV News DelBene “believes that the U.S. should take reciprocal action,” and is now “awaiting the American government’s decision.”
Brant Baron, the owner of Mail Boxes International in Blaine, Washington, is also waiting for his Canadian regulars to help clear the backlog of packages, currently some 20,000 give or take.
And while Baron’s managed to pivot his business and finally become profitable during the pandemic by growing his fulfillment operation, he believes, like Ali Hayton, that the time has come to reopen.
“This is affecting people in a whole lot of different ways,” Baron said.
“I think we’re at a point now where I think we can safely open - and I would love to see that happen,” he added.
Hayton was less circumspect:
“If Joe (Biden) or Justin (Trudeau), either one, were taking $30,000 out of their wallet every month to help subsidize the food needs of one small community, I guarantee to you this border would have been open a long time ago,” she said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Police investigating shooting outside of Drake's Bridle Path mansion: source
Toronto police are investigating a shooting that took place outside of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion early Tuesday morning, a source tells CP24.
There's actually no such thing as vegetables. Here's why you should eat them anyway
The rumours are true: Vegetables aren't real — that is, in botany, anyway. While the term fruit is recognized botanically as anything that contains a seed or seeds, vegetable is actually a broad umbrella term.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man pays $7,700 for luxury villa found on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
The Met Gala was in full bloom with Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Mindy Kaling among the standout stars
The Met Gala and its fashionista A-listers on Monday included Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya and a parade of others in a swirl of flora and fauna looks on a green-tinged carpet lined by live foliage.
3 Indian nationals accused of murdering Hardeep Singh Nijjar facing court in B.C.
Three Indian nationals accused of murdering Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar are due to face court Tuesday over the killing that triggered a major diplomatic rift with India.
Israeli forces seize Rafah border crossing in Gaza, putting ceasefire talks on knife's edge
Israeli tanks seized control of Gaza's vital Rafah border crossing on Tuesday as Israel brushed off urgent warnings from close allies and moved into the southern city even as cease-fire negotiations with Hamas remained on a knife's edge.
Canadian cadets rock mullets and place second at U.S. military competition
Sporting mullets, Canadian Armed Forces officer cadets placed second in an annual military skills competition in the U.S.
Highlights from the 2024 Met Gala exhibit: Sleeping Beauty would wake up for these gowns
Sure, she was a royal princess and all. But there’s no way Sleeping Beauty — either before or after her nap — ever had quite the fabulous wardrobe that’s been assembled at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Noelia Voigt resigns as Miss USA, citing her mental health
Noelia Voigt, who was crowned Miss USA in November 2023, has announced she is resigning from her role, saying the decision is in the best interest of her mental health.