Home » The reopening of the border, a potential windfall for an Albertan village

The reopening of the border, a potential windfall for an Albertan village

by Rex Daniel

“When you are at the border, part of your activity comes from border traffic, that’s for sure”

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For the first time in 597 days, fully vaccinated Canadians could drive to the United States by car for non-essential trips starting at 12:01 a.m. Monday.

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It could mean a boon to business in the village on the Canadian side of Alberta’s busiest border crossing, a restaurateur said.

“When you’re at the border, some of your business comes from border traffic, that’s for sure,” said Carolyn Dangerfield, who runs the Hills of Home Café alongside her husband, Keith.

“Ours hasn’t been great, but we’re hoping for better things when it opens.”

Coutts is best known for its location at the end of Highway 4, on the border with Montana, with its traffic comprised almost entirely of those who pass through the port of entry 24/7.

And although commercial traffic continued along the important trade route, Statistics Canada data shows a significant drop in the number of vehicles passing through the Coutts border crossing due to restrictions linked to the pandemic.

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Between March 2019 and February 2020, before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, approximately 6,500 vehicles entered Canada on average each week at Coutts. That dropped to about 3,600 admissions to Canada the following year, a drop of 45 percent. Coutts accounted for more than two-thirds of border crossings to Alberta in 2019.

Although Canada opened its borders to fully vaccinated Americans in early August, travelers from the United States account for less than a quarter of land crossings at Coutts, meaning Monday’s reopening is expected to result in a larger increase in traffic. traffic.

Dangerfield said her business was “in pretty bad shape” near the start of the pandemic when it was forced to shut down due to public health measures, but saw a small rebound afterwards. Only a small percentage of those heading to the United States stop at Coutts, she said, but added “it has always been enough to keep us going. “

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Excitement over the reopening of the border prompted some Alberta snowbirds to camp in the town of Milk River, 11 miles north of Coutts, eagerly awaiting the chance to escape in their RVs to warmer climates.

The road that runs along the border between Sweetgrass, Montana, on the left and Coutts, Alta, on the right.
The road that runs along the border between Sweetgrass, Montana, on the left and Coutts, Alta, on the right. Photo by Mike Drew / Postmedia / File

Those entering the United States will be asked to provide verbal certification that they are vaccinated, but must be able to provide proof of vaccination upon request, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Proof of a negative test is not required.

The Canada Border Services Agency has issued a warning before the border opens, reminding travelers to make sure they are eligible to re-enter Canada and have proof of vaccination to facilitate their return. They must also perform a COVID-19 molecular test no later than 72 hours before their return to Canada, rapid antigenic tests are not accepted; if Canadians return within 72 hours of leaving Canada, they can take this test before leaving the country.

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Canada’s top doctor said on Friday that Canada needs to reassess testing requirements for fully vaccinated travelers at the Canadian border, especially for short trips.

The policy was initially aimed at reducing transmission on either side of the border and preventing people from border communities from taking a test in the United States during a short jaunt, according to Tam.

“But I think this all needs to be reconsidered, as we are doing with all the border measures going forward,” she said.

The COVID-19 molecular tests needed to cross the border can cost anywhere from $ 150 to $ 300 in the United States, making it a significant expense, especially for families.

Calgarian Bruce Wiggers recently traveled to Seattle to visit his father for the first time since the start of the pandemic. He said he was alarmed at the cost of obtaining private COVID-19 tests for travel purposes.

“I think there are a lot of people in this situation, they have a relative or someone there and look what it costs them. It cost me more for this COVID thing than for the plane ticket, ”Wiggers said. “It’s the people who profit.”

– With files from The Canadian Press

jherring@postmedia.com

Twitter: @jasonfherring

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