Border towns hopeful changes in travel testing requirements will improve business
CBC
As of Feb. 28, fully vaccinated travellers coming into Canada now have more options when it comes to pre-arrival testing — and businesses on both sides of the border are hoping this will help increase tourism spending.
Molecular tests, such as a PCR tests, will still be accepted within 72 hours of arrival, but Canada will now also accept rapid antigen tests administered by a lab, healthcare provider or telehealth service, within 24 hours of arrival by flight or at a land border.
Rapid anitgen tests are usually cheaper than PCR tests and results can be turned around much faster.
Included in the easing of some travel restrictions, the federal government is also no longer advising Canadians not to travel for non-essential purposes.
This is welcome news to Erin Crane, CEO of Tourism Lethbridge.
"We're quite excited here," she said. "I think any type of reducing of those restrictions is going to help our industry and the tourism operators within the region."
Lethbridge, Alta. is about a one hour drive north of the Canada-U.S. border and serves as a popular hub for travellers heading in and out of the country.
However, pandemic border restrictions have lead to fewer people passing through, said Crane.
"That's been probably one of the hardest things, is not capturing some of that traffic that usually comes through this area."
Restaurants and hotels have been some of the hardest hit businesses, she added.
"It has been really difficult. And throughout the tourism industry, we always talk about being the first hit, about being the hardest hit, and that we will most likely be one of the last to recover," she said.
"So all of these reductions in restrictions is going to help immensely."
On the other side of the border in Great Falls, Mont., Shane Etzwiler, CEO of the chamber of commerce, is hopeful that this change in testing requirements will encourage more Canadians to travel south.
"We're excited about the opportunity. We love our Canadian neighbours," said Etzwiler.
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