It may be time to renew a call from border-city mayors for the federal government to scrap costly COVID-19 testing for travelers to Canada from the United States, Sarnia’s mayor says.
That’s after a March 3 open letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau from elected officials in 15 border cities, from New Brunswick to British Columbia, hasn’t yet yielded a response, said Mike Bradley.
“I’m going to talk to some of the other mayors on Monday and say ‘OK, what do you want to do next?’” Bradley said. “And I think what we’ll probably do is target a couple of the key ministers saying … this is just not necessary.”
Pre-entry testing requirements, at about $100-per-rapid test, have remained in place for double-vaccinated travelers even while the COVID-19 Omicron variant is widespread on both sides of the border, Bradley said.
“It’s not viewed as a step that’s accomplishing anything,” he said about the testing requirement.
The extra expense, and anxiety over potentially being stranded in the US another day at least if testing fails, has been a barrier for people trying to visit family, and to tourism recovery, he said.
“Talking with the mayors group, and we all believe we’re not going to be overwhelmed if the test is dropped,” Bradley said.
“It will be a slow climb back into where we were five years ago or whatever.
“There’s till the uncertainty, the anxiety.”
People are able to attend sporting events in the thousands and mask mandates in Ontario are ending later this month, yet the border-testing barrier remains, Bradley said.
“I don’t think it’s acceptable to wait until the end of March, especially when they know the issues,” he said about federal officials.
Sarnia city council in February voted in to add the city’s name to the open letter requesting change.
The chill on cross-border traffic has also affected duty-free shops.
“It’s just the frustration,” Bradley said about the correspondence he receives from citizens.
“Also now hearing form people as the snowbirds return that there’s now, as I view it, a tax on snowbirds,” he said.