“Tourism Matters” was the focus of a peaceful and well organized rally at Fort Vermilion on the weekend.
Some 200 people gathered in an effort to grab government attention to the troubles facing the industry because of COVID-19 restrictions.
Robin Gagne is the Owner/Operator of Crystal Lake Campground, just west of Vermilion Bay.
Gagne says travel restrictions and trips across provincial borders not recommended impact their ability to operate.
He says he will be hurting next year if he can’t bring in any money this summer.
“If there’s loans and grants for tourism, it should also include campgrounds, because we also have to survive.”
Steve Smith is the Owner/Operator of Sunset Country Adventures in Vermilion Bay.
“We’re not going to push for the border to open. It’s not safe to open right now. And that’s the majority of the consensus across the board. But if it isn’t opening, we need some kind of help, we need to survive, so that we are here next year. Otherwise where are the tourists going to come and go next year if our doors are closed.”
Smith believes hunting and fishing camps have been forgotten in government bailout packages.
He adds “The American dollar that comes across the border is how we all survive. And that’s how a lot of these small businesses survive through the winter with just the local economy. They get a big cash injection in the summer from the tourists and right now obviously there are no tourists.”
Northern Development Minister Greg Rickford admits American tourism is all but going to dry up this summer, but he’s glad the federal government continues to close our border.
Meantime, northwestern Ontario residents travelling to Manitoba will soon no longer need to self-isolate beginning next week.
Manitoba is preparing to lift a two-week isolation period this Sunday.
This is as long as you don’t have any symptoms of COVID-19 and haven’t been exposed to anyone who has.
It’s also being removed for residents in certain parts of western Canada.
