POINT ROBERTS, Wash. – Now that the U.S. is poised to let Canadian visitors cross into Whatcom County, residents and business owners of Point Roberts say Canadian policy is now holding them hostage.
The Whatcom County exclave that’s surrounded by water and a border with Canada has been economically smothered by the pandemic border closure.
But they expect little relief when Canadians are allowed back in on November 8th.
That’s because Canada will still require its citizens to not only be vaccinated, but show proof of a negative test within 72 hours of returning.
Point Roberts Chamber of Commerce President Brian Calder says that’s not practical for short-term visits.
“Many, many, many of them are not going to come,” says Calder. “Because we do testing twice a week and they cost $180 U.S.”
He says Canadians own 75% of properties on Point Roberts.
Calder points to a study by Western Washington University’s Border Policy Research Institute that found 90% of border crossers into Point Roberts before the pandemic were Canadian and 55% stayed less than an hour.
