Buffalo/Niagara Falls, New York area Congressman Brian Higgins
“The cost to being tested varies depending on location and federal, state, provincial, and local policies – in some cases, the tests required to gain entry to Canada can cost over $300 CAD with no guarantee of appointment availability. … The expectation that fully vaccinated Canadians and Americans will be able to afford multiple tests … for the indefinite future to go about their business ignores the economic reality and is financially unsustainable for working families.” – Buffalo, New York area Congressman Brian Higgins, in his letter to Canada’s Ambassador to the United States Kirsten Hillman
A News Release from the Buffalo, New York office of U.S. Democratic Congressman Brian Higgins
Posted November 1st. 2021 on Niagara At Large
The Peace Bridge crossing between Niagara, Ontario to Buffalo, New York. On November 8th, fully vaccinated Canadians will be able to cross after more than a year and a half of so-called “non-essential travellers being banned from crossing. But how many will, if they have to pay up to $300 for a COVID test?
In Letter to Ambassador, Congressman Higgins Asks Canada to Consider Dropping COVID Testing Requirement for Travelers Crossing the Northern Border
Higgins Says Testing for the Vaccinated is Redundant & Impedes Binational Economic Recovery
As the United States prepares to welcome Canadian neighbors back across the border on November 8, Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-26) is urging the government of Canada to drop its COVID-19 testing requirements for fully vaccinated travelers crossing the Northern Border.
In a letter to Canada’s Ambassador to the United States Kirsten Hillman Higgins writes, “While both the United States and Canada will understandably require proof of vaccination from each other’s citizens to gain entry, only Canada will require a negative COVID-19 test in addition to the aforementioned proof of vaccination at all points of entry. This policy will have adverse side effects that will harm our respective economic recoveries.”
How many Canadians will cross the border bridges for a day in the Buffalo area remains a wide open question if they have to pay up to $300 for a COVID test on top of showing proof of vaccination.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has confirmed the United States will not require testing at land ports of entry when the United States reopens its border to vaccinated Canadians on November 8th.
Canada, which began welcoming Americans back across its border on August 9th, does require proof of a negative COVID test for both United States’ residents crossing into Canada and Canadian citizens returning after a visit to the United States.
Higgins, who spent months pushing for the U.S. to relax pandemic border restrictions, applauded Canada for leading the way in reopening the border but he expressed concern that the cost and hassle of testing will ultimately keep many already vaccinated people from making the trip across the border.
“The cost to being tested varies depending on location and federal, state, provincial, and local policies – in some cases, the tests required to gain entry to Canada can cost over $300 CAD with no guarantee of appointment availability.
“In border communities such as Western New York and Southern Ontario, the local economies depend on the free flow of goods and people across the border, often multiple times per day.
“The expectation that fully vaccinated Canadians and Americans will be able to afford multiple tests per week for the indefinite future to go about their business ignores the economic reality and is financially unsustainable for working families. We can no longer continue subordinating the financial and economic health of our communities and citizens, especially when they have done the right thing, gotten vaccinated, and continue to follow all public health rules and regulations.”
Canada is the largest international inbound market to the U.S., with nearly 21 million visitors spending $20.8 billion in 2019. That same year, over 10.5 million people crossed from Canada into the United States through border crossings in the Buffalo-Niagara Falls region specifically. Canadian visitors represent 30% of Buffalo Niagara International Airport customers, 80% of Niagara Falls International Airport customers and approximately 20% of Buffalo Bills season ticket holders.
Similarly, visitors from the U.S. represent over two-thirds of all international visitors to Canada. The majority of U.S. visitors enter Canada through land ports. In 2019, 16.7 million Americans crossed the border<https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/200221/dq200221b-eng.htm> into Canada with about half staying overnight and the other half returning the same day.
Congressman Higgins, who serves as Co-Chair of the Canada-United States Interparliamentary Group and the Congressional Northern Border Caucus, met with Ambassador Hillman to discuss border policy and other matters of binational interest on October 27.
To read the full text of the letter U.S. Congressman Brian Higgins sent to Canada’s ambassador to the United States, click on – <https://higgins.house.gov/sites/higgins.house.gov/files/102921%20Letter%20to%20Amb%20Hillman%20re%20PCR%20Test.pdf>
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Regardless of tests or no tests, it will be some time before I cross the border again. I am glad that we are requiring negative tests though so that returning Canadians and any Americans do not bring the virus here.
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Of course someone is making big bucks on the tests which likely cost only a few dollars. It’s called gouging. I have no intention of ever going to the US again. It’s been about 6 years and I live 5 miles from the border.
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