EUREKA – The border between the United States and Canada has been open for non-essential travel for 20 months.
As Canada officially opened its side of the border in August on Monday, the United States officially joined in reopening to Canadian visitors. Journalist Sean Wells traveled to the Port of Roosville near Eureka to find out what the opening means for small businesses along the border.
The First & Last Chance Duty Free Bar and Store are located just 200 meters from the Roosville Port border crossing and have been open since 1972 every day of the year except Christmas.
Bar and duty-free store owner David Clarke said his business was in turmoil when the border closed in March 2020, relying strictly on local customers to get by. “If we hadn’t had them, we would have been closed. “
Clarke says his business relies heavily on Canadian tourism, he has had to act quickly and apply for P3 loans and grants through the state of Montana to stay afloat. “We would have been at zero checking accounts and zero savings and these really helped. “
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Canadian travelers must be fully vaccinated to enter the United States, they must also provide a negative COVID-19 test to return to Canada regardless of their vaccination status within 72 hours of arrival.
Clarke says the cost of the test will scare away day trippers who boost the local economy. “Those who get out and maybe refuel their vehicles, do some groceries, have a meal and go home, it’s an outing for them. “
Clarke says he hopes the testing requirements will be lifted soon, allowing repeat customers from Canada to come back and frequent his establishment.
“Because we drink coffee six days a week, we have three or four every day from Monday to Saturday. They would come to watch the news, talk to each other, stay here about an hour and a half to two hours, and then they would go home. And in this way a daily event. We haven’t seen them for 20 months. – David Clarke, owner of the First and Last Chance Bar and Duty Free Shop
A full list of border travel requirements and guidelines is available at United States Customs and Border Protection website.
The reopening of the Canadian border is good news for the Montanais. Montana shares nearly 550 miles of border with our neighbor to the north and there are over 13 crossings across this common border.
A 2020 report from Office of Business and Economic Research showed that in 2018, Canadian visitors represented 10% of all non-resident travelers to the state. Recreational shopping was among the top three activities for Canadian visitors.
Many Montanais may also have family in Canada. A 2020 information sheet from American Immigration Council found that 15% of Montana’s immigrants came from Canada.
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