CANADA/USA. The Frontier Duty Free Association (FDFA), the trade body representing the businesses which run the 33 Canadian land border duty free shops, has revealed results from a survey which shows that these companies are still suffering a -80.17% decline in sales compared to pre-pandemic.
The figure comes despite Americans now being allowed to travel over the Canada/US land border.
These stores were shuttered for more than a year since the full closure of the land border in March 2020, in an order approved by both the Canadian Cabinet and the US White House. In the ensuing 18 months, sales collapsed by over -95%.
Since that time, the Canadian government has partially reopened the land border to fully vaccinated Americans, who also must produce a negative COVID-19 test using the expensive PCR method.
“This is a matter of fairness. As long the land border remains almost closed, we cannot survive and have a future without support. Our retailers closed to protect Canadians and we deserve not to be left behind and kill a 40-year-old export sector” – FDFA Executive Director Barbara Barrett
In contrast, the US has kept the land border closed to all but essential services for some 20 months. This rule is in place despite allowing unvaccinated Canadians to fly over the border with almost no restrictions for the majority of the pandemic.
FDFA Executive Director Barbara Barrett said: “Our stores are appreciative of the federal supports for business forced to close or nearly close during the entire pandemic.
“We also appreciate the Liberal promise during the federal campaign to extend the support for tourism-based businesses into next year. We are a tourism-based business that is the hardest hit of the hardest hit businesses in Canada.”
The FDFA said it is now calling on the Canadian federal government to take three specific measures.
Firstly, it advocates that US President Biden opens the land border to fully vaccinated Canadians. The association noted that in recent months, it has lost the initiative on the issue in Washington. Over 70 Congressional leaders have signed a letter to President Biden to open the Canada/US border. The Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister must make this an urgent priority with President Biden, the FDFA said.
Secondly, the FDFA has called for the elimination of the expensive PCR test for fully vaccinated Americans crossing the land border. A note from the FDA said: “Fully vaccinated is fully vaccinated. Forcing fully vaccinated Americans to get tested before crossing the border makes no scientific sense.
“Hockey stadiums will now be open at 100%capacity but a fully vaccinated family of four faces an C$800 testing bill just to drive over the border in their own car.
“This unscientific approach must end given that random testing over the past few months has demonstrated there is no risk to ending the pre-testing.”
Finally, the FDFA has called for full implementation of the Liberal campaign promise to help the hardest hit businesses. “This promise must be quickly implemented this Fall by Parliament,” the FDFA statement said. “Tourism-based businesses and border stores have been closed and deeply impacted to protect Canadians. We cannot allow them to fail on this last mile of support.”
Barbara Barrett concluded: “This is a matter of fairness. As longs the land border remains almost closed, we cannot survive and have a future without support. Our retailers closed to protect Canadians and we deserve not to be left behind and kill a 40-year-old export sector.”
