International Falls port entry. Photo courtesy of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Ontario Sunset Country is worried the hoops involved in crossing the Canada/US border might discourage some visitors.
The federal government announced the border will open to fully vaccinated Americans on August 9.
Gerry Cariou is the executive director and has been going over the new regulations over the past couple of days.
He says the restrictions are difficult and in some cases not very clear.
Cariou says tourists from south of the border will have to have a COVID-19 test 72 hours prior to crossing.
“Download the ArriveCan app. You have to fill in all the information related to your travel there which includes information on a quarantine plan. So, a traveller is going to have to develop a quarantine plan. That’s difficult.”
Cariou adds it’s unclear if unvaccinated children under the age of 18 will be allowed to cross.
He notes the psychological barrier of the border being opened is important, but in terms of revenue, another tourism season has essentially been lost.
