Push to expand essential travel from US-Canada ahead of June 21 travel ban expiration

Push to expand essential travel from US-Canada ahead of June 21 travel ban expiration

Push to expand essential travel from US-Canada ahead of June 21 travel ban expiration

GOOD EVENING ONCEAGAIN,TRAFFIC ON ANY OFTHE NIAGARAFRONTIERINTERNATIONALBRIDGES WILL BE ALOT LIGHTER THANUSUAL THIS MEMORIALDAY WEEKEND.THAT'S BECAUSE OFTHE BORDERRESTRICTIONS SET INPLACE AS A RESULT OFTHE COVID-19PANDEMIC...CROSSING BETWEENTHE U.S. AND CANADAIS BASICALLY SHUTDOWN...AND WILL BEFOR ANOTHERMONTH....BUT ANUMBER OF GROUPSREPRESENTINGECONOMIC AGENCIESON BOTH SIDES OFTHE BORDER AREPUSHING TO RE-OPENBRIDGES SOONER.TONIGHT, 7EYEWITNESS NEWSREPORTER MADISONCARTER TAKES ACLOSER LOOK AT ADESPERATE PLEA....INA STORY THAT'S ALLNEW AT 5:30..MEMORIAL DAY IS THEUNOFFICIAL START OFTHE SUMMER --AND THE MAIN TRAVELSEASON BETWEENTHE U-S AND CANADA,SPECIFICALLYSOUTHERN ONTARIO.MANY, INCLUDINGCONGRESSMAN BRIANHIGGINS ARE PUSHINGFOR THE NATIONS TOEXPAND THE SCOPEOF ESSENTIAL TRAVEL.TO INCLUDE PEOPLEWHO MAY WANT TO GOOVER AND ENJOY ORCHECK ON THEIRPROPERTIES.THEY SAY OPENINGTHE BORDER CAN'T BEA ONE-SIZE-FITS ALLAPPROACH.THE MORE YOU FOCUSON THE PECULIARITIESOF A REGION, TMORE YOU FIND YOUCAN HAVE A MORETAILORED, A MOREPHASED IN AAPPROACH TOEXPEDITING,HOPEFULLY, CROBORDER FLOWS ONCEAGAIN.I THINK A LOT OF THEPOLICIES THAT HAVEBEEN PUT OUT FROMCOVID19 AND THESHUTDOWN WHILE WGIVE A LOT OF CREDITTO THEGOVERNMENTALAGENCIES FORPUTTING THEMTOGETHER QUICKLYTHERE HAVE BEENLOT OF HOLES.THE HOLES INCLUDETOURISM DOLLARS,SALES TAXCOLLECTION FROMCROSS-BORDERPURCHASES, ANDKEEPING MANY FROMTHEIR COTTAGES ORPROPERTIES.IT'S A MAJOR PART OFTHE WESTERN NEWYORK ECONOMY ANDOUR LIFE QUALITYEXPERTS ACROSS THEBORDER SAY KEEPINGCROSSINGS CLOSEDWILL NOT BE ANOPTIONTHE CONSEQUENCESWOULD BEECONOMICALLYDEVASTATING, AND THELEGACY OF THATDEVASTATION WOULDLAST SEVERAL MONTHSINTO THE FUTURE, WEKNOW THASO, WITH SAFETYMEASURES IN MIND-- ALETTER WAS SENT TOSTATE, FEDERAL, ANDPROVINCIALLEADERSHIP WITH ALIST OFRECOMMENDATIONS.THE NEXUS PROGRAMIS A TOUCHESPROGRAM SO LETS'RAMP THAT UP ANDLET'S GET PEOPLE ONTHATIN CERTAIN SECTORS,SPECIFICALLY CERTAINPEOPLE MIGHT BEGRANTED THE FIRSTWAVE OF ACCESS.RIGHT NOW, THEBORDER CLOSURESARE EXTENDED UNTILJUNE 21ST, BUT THISLETTER ASKS FORTHOSE MOSTAFFECTED TO HAVE ASAY IN WHAT HAPPENSNEXT.FOR A LONG TIMEWE'VE TALKED ABOUTDECISIONS FOR THEUS-CANDADIANBORDER BEING MADEIN WASHINGTON ANDOTTAWA AND A LOT OFTIMES THOSEDECISIONS DON'T GETVERY LOCALIZEDEACH OF THE CROSS-BORDER REGIONS ORZONES HAVE SPECIFICPECULIARITIES.SO FAR, NO ONE HASGOTTEN A RESPONSFROM WASHINGTONOR OTTAWA.MC, 7EWN.