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Border Traffic Remains Low

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Border traffic continues to be impacted by ongoing restrictions, now extended another month to June 21st.

The latest numbers from Statistics Canada show about three thousand Canadians and 550 Americans still made it across in April at crossings at Pigeon River, Fort Frances and Rainy River.

Most passed the border at Fort Frances where over 1,500 Canadians and 300 Americans were eligible to pass.

Only travellers crossing for essential reasons, like work or school,

Fifteen hundred Canadians and 300 Americans were able to pass through at Fort Frances in April.

Another 970 Canadians and 82 Americans entered at Rainy River.

Only travellers crossing for essential reasons are permitted to pass but are subject to quarantine requirements.

The Pigeon River crossing saw 970 Canadians and 80 Americans who were permitted to enter northwestern Ontario.

The numbers at all of the border crossings are about 90 to 95 per cent of what they were before the pandemic.

 

 

Courtesy Statistics Canada

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OPP Manning Ontario/Manitoba Checkpoint

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So far, so good for the OPP working at the Ontario/Manitoba border.

At midnight Monday morning travel restrictions went into place allowing only necessary travel.

OPP Constable Jason Canfield says they are stopping certain vehicles at the border.

“All vehicles other than transports are being spoken to,” says Canfield, “And (we’re) asking why they’re travelling and not at home during Ontario’s stay at home order.”

He tells us officers will be working there until told otherwise.

“Right now we don’t have any planned end date for when we’ll stop doing this. We have people covered for 12-hour long day and night shifts.”

Canfield adds that as of this morning, they hadn’t turned anyone away.

“As of yet, we haven’t turned anyone away. There are certain reasons people can cross the border and so far everyone fit criteria so far.”

While there are people who live in the Falcon Lake and West Hawk Lake area who normally come to Kenora for things like groceries, at this time Canfield says that’s not a justified reason to cross the border.

When it comes to the officers at the border checkpoint, he tells us that they have members coming in from other detachments to make sure no shift runs short.

Canfield adds that they have members like him who can help fill in for calls if need be, and that the OPP plan things like this so they don’t leave any community short on officers.

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Families Can Reunite With Border Changes

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Some relaxing of border restrictions by the Canadian government is making it easier for family members, who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents, to see loved ones, who they haven’t been able to, ever since the border with the United States was closed due to COVID-19.

On Friday, Health Minister Patty Hajdu, Citizenship Minister Marco Mendicino and Public Safety Minister Bill Blair said this means, as of October 8th, adults, children, grandchildren or grandparents, siblings, or those dating in a committed relationship for over a year, will be able to cross, with proper documentation.

An exception has also been granted to people who aren’t Canadians to visit someone who is critically ill, dying or for funerals. Patty Hajdu adds arrangements will be made with provincial governments and local health authorities to end the 14 day quarantine rule to visit anyone nearing the end of a life, or funerals.

As of October 20th, international students will be able to enter Canada, provided the school they are going to has a proven plan to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The government says this is being done due to the outcry from many people who’ve not been able to see family. The Health Minister says this needs to be done, while adding at the same time the disease is not going away anytime soon. The government is keeping all other restrictions in place, including shut down of the border until October 21st to non-essential travellers, and restrictions on travellers from other countries remain until October 31st.

In anticipation of the influx of people, the government is adding more public health safety officers who will monitor, and stay in touch with people who are supposed to be in quarantine. And to ensure all health safety measures are being followed, there could be fines and jail time for anyone who doesn’t follow rules if asked to.

More details of this plan will be on the government webpage next week.

The opposition Conservatives, while applauding the plan, say this should have been done much sooner.

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Massive Drop In Crossings At Local Borders

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The closure of the Canada/US border continues to have a huge impact in our area.

A little more than 660 Americans were eligible to cross at the Fort Frances border in July and August this year.

Last year, there were over 100,000.

2,900 Canadians also crossed this past summer compared to the 82,000 in those months last year.

Crossings at Rainy River were also well below last year with 282 Americans and 1,900 Canadians passing through this summer.

While the border is closed, some U.S. Citizens are allowed to enter for essential reasons like work or education purposes.

At the Pigeon River Border near Thunder Bay just over 600 Americans were allowed to enter Canada.

Last year, more than 38,000 made the trip north during the months of July and August.

At the same time this year, 900 Canadians returned from the U.S.

Over 70,000 crossed that border last summer.

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Huge Drop In Border Crossings In NWO

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A mere fraction of the people who usually cross the border in northwestern Ontario are now being permitted to enter Canada.

Data released by Statistics Canada Acadia Broadcasting shows 531 US residents and 1,483 Canadians passed through customs in Fort Frances last month.

Another 157 Americans and 1,008 Canadians entered at Rainy River.

The border is closed to non-essential travel, but US citizens can still enter Canada for ‘essential’ reasons as deemed appropriate by Canada Customs.

In June 2019, the Fort Frances border saw 95-thousand people cross. This included 34,370 Canadians and 60,545 US residents.

In the same month, the border at Rainy River had 19,548 Canadians and 11,989 Americans crossing.

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No Surprise In Border Numbers

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The closed border is having a huge impact on travel between Canada and the U.S.

Statistics Canada says the number of American vehicles entering Canada is down 94% since last June.

Just 64,00 American citizens were permitted to enter Canada compared to the 1.6 million last June.

Canadians travel from the States is also down by the same amount,

Those permitted entry into either Canada or the U.S. can only do so for essential reasons such as work, study or trade purposes.

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Border Closure Extended One More Month

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The Canada/U.S. border will remain closed to non-essential travel for at least one more month.

A Facebook post from Wayne Long, the MP for Saint John-Rothesay in New Brunswick, said the closure has been extended until at least Aug. 21.

The latest agreement to keep the border closed was set to expire on July 21.

On Monday, the prime minister said his government will continue working hard to keep Canadians safe and to keep the economy flowing.

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Still No Word On US/Canada Border Reopening

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The Prime Minister can’t say if the Canada/US border will reopen next week.

Justin Trudeau is fresh off speaking with President Trump and said discussions are ongoing.

“We’ve pledged to monitor closely the situation that is constantly evolving, we will be discussing with our American partners what our next steps should be. This is a situation that is evolving rapidly and therefore we need to keep responding to the situation on the ground,” Trudeau said.

The latest agreement to keep the border closed to all non-essential travel is set to expire on July 21st.

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Health Minister Expecting Border Closure Extension

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Federal Health Minister Patty Hajdu is expecting the Canada/U.S. border will be closed for another month.

The current agreement expires on July 21 but Hajdu believes it will be extended until August 21.

The Thunder Bay-Superior North MP says COVID-19 cases in the United States continue to rise and the Canadian government doesn’t want to put local lives at risk.

Hajdu says we are headed in the right direction.

When asked by John Ongaro of Acadia News about American plates being spotted across northwestern Ontario, Hajdu downplayed beliefs that people are being allowed across the border despite the COVID-19 shutdown.

Hajdu says several Americans own businesses here, Snowbirds may have U.S. plates or people have relationships with immediate family that our American.

She stressed border officials are doing a good job of screening all those who come through.

Two Minnesota residents were recently caught in Fort Frances after failing to comply with the Mandatory Quarantine Act.

(Files from Vic Krassowski and John Ongaro Thunder Bay)

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Doug Ford Not Ready For Border Reopening

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Ontario’s premier believes the time is not right to reopen the Canada/U.S. border.

Doug Ford realizes the shutdown is having an economic impact on businesses, including tourist operators, but says we aren’t ready for an influx of people.

“My biggest concern is that if they decide to open it up, we got to pick-up big time at the borders on screening and assessing people when they come across,” Ford says, “And making sure that we’re able to track these folks when they come here.”

Ford emphasizes that travellers must self-isolate for two weeks.

“It’s absolutely critical we tighten up the borders, and that’s no criticism to the federal government, but the borders were pretty much wide open during part of this pandemic,” the Premier argues.

He claims the province will work closely with the federal government, and will do whatever it can to help.

“If we need to assist them on everything from testing to more people at the border for screening, so be it. We’ll pitch in,” Ford adds.

The two countries are said to be in talks about a possible extension of the closure beyond June 21st.

Ford made the comments when asked by CKDR News what the governments plan was to help local camp owners.

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