Immigration.ca - Canada Immigration News - August 2009
New statistics show that less Canadians and Americans are crossing the border, now that the passport rules have been implemented.
Since June 1st all land travelers crossing the Canada-U.S. border have been required to have passports, rather than the previous accepted two pieces of government-issued identification. Prior to the change, authorities on both sides reassured businesses that flow would not be harmed and that public awareness campaigns would prepare the average traveler.
However, the latest data from Statistics Canada has proven a drop in border traffic since the new rule was implemented. From May to June this year Canadian crossings dropped 9.6 per cent while American crossing dropped 15.6 per cent.
These figures are causing concerns for businesses that rely on cross-border traffic for their survival. One such business operates the Maid of the Mist tours on Niagara Falls, whose vice-president, Tim Ruddy, voiced those concerns to the media.
“Our business was down 44 per cent on June 1 from the year before,” said Ruddy. “It was like somebody flipped a switch.”
Only an estimated half of all Canadians are passport holders. In the U.S. only approximately 30 per cent of Americans hold passports.
Officials say that the passports are not the only problem affecting border traffic. The downturn in the economy has also been responsible for decreased recreational crossings of U.S. and Canadian citizens. Officials are also quick to point out that fast-track Nexus cards are available for frequent business travelers.
Source: Montreal Gazette
