Southwestern Ont. border mayors, tourism groups calling for an end to any testing at land border crossings

Mayors of southwestern Ontario border towns, along with a U.S. counterpart, and tourism groups are calling on the federal government to end the need for any testing of COVID-19 at land border crossings. 

Mayors of Windsor, Niagara Falls, Sarnia, Niagara Falls, N.Y, the Tourism Industry Association of Canada and the Hotel Association of Canada are holding a press conference Friday morning to call for an end to the testing. 

Last week, Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos announced travellers entering Canada will no longer have to take a pre-arrival molecular test — such as a PCR — as of Feb. 28. 

Travellers will still be required to take a pre-arrival test, but they can instead opt for an authorized rapid antigen test, which is typically a cheaper option, taken no more than one day before their scheduled flight or arrival at the land border. 

However, the mayors and tourism groups say border businesses are still suffering from financial losses, and the test requirement remains a barrier for cross-border travel. 

The virtual press conference, hosted by the Frontier Duty Free Association, is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. and can be viewed here. 

More to come.