WINDSOR, ONT. -- Border officials are not shocked another extension to the non-essential travel ban is being discussed, but frustration is mounting over a lack of perceived plans.
Canada and the United States are allegedly set to extend the ban into late July, as both countries try to stop the spread of COVID-19.
“What concerns me is will we continue to keep pushing this off and how long can that go?” Cross Border Institute director Bill Anderson said.
He said he is anxious to hear how the border will eventually reopen, rather than more assurances of regular reviews.
“When they say we’re going to look at it again in July, I don’t know what they expect to change by July,” he said. “The virus is still going to be around and the situation that we deal with is going to be around for quite a while.”
Officials on both sides of the border introduced restrictions in March and have renewed them twice since.
The current ban is set to expire on June 21 and does not affect trade, but does affect the bottom line for businesses in border towns were a dollar can go a long way.
“It’s a question of resuming our economic activities in different ways that we’re able to protect public safety while at the same get the economy back on its feet,” Anderson said.
Business owners like Spago’s Peter Vitti say they want to see American customers again, but at the same time keep staff and locals safe.
“It’s a challenge. Because you have to balance health and business and that’s not an easy task to do,” Vitti said.
“Reopen implies we’re going to go directly back to where we were before the pandemic,” Anderson said. “That’s not the answer now, the pandemic is an issue that’s going to be with us for many months into the future.”
He said the Cross Border Institute is trying to come up with ways to reopen the border the ensures the health and safety of all, as well as help with economic recovery.
“If we don’t start now that border can stay closed into 2021,” he said.
