POINT ROBERTS (NEWS 1130) — Fully-vaccinated Canadians being allowed to drive into the U.S. again next month is welcome news to at least one business in Point Roberts, so long as the COVID-19 testing requirement to get back into Canada is removed.
Nick Kiniski is the longtime owner of Kiniski’s Reef Tavern and says the change is all well and good for Snowbirds, but day-trippers may be turned off by the idea of spending money to have a COVID-19 test to go back home.
“No one’s just gonna come down and grab something to eat, grab gas, grab their parcels and head back to Canada because it’s a $200 test. And so it doesn’t really make sense,” Kiniski said. “So I don’t think it’s going to really affect my business unless they get rid of the COVID-19 test within 72 hours and then I’d be ready to rock and roll.”
Related Articles:
-
Point Roberts looking forward to end of ‘inhumane, unnecessary’ border closure
-
U.S. to reopen border to vaccinated Canadians in November
Kiniski had been planning to close for the winter after this weekend. He says he will play it by ear, depending on what happens with the border reopening.
“I was down over 70 per cent with COVID and then when they allow the Point Roberts residents go up to Canada I’m down 90 per cent,” he explained. “It’s just not feasible to keep the bar open when you have those kind of numbers. So I’m just waiting to see what happens and hopefully they open the border and then I’ll be up and running.”
U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration said the country will reopen its land borders and ports of entry to non-essential travel next month for Canada and Mexico, ending a 19-month freeze because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Unlike air travel, for which proof of a negative COVID-19 test is required before boarding a flight to enter the U.S., no testing will be required to enter the U.S. by land or sea, provided the travellers meet the vaccination requirement.