Canada may ease some border requirements that could boost cross-border travel

The Canadian government is thinking about dropping the testing requirements for its citizens coming back into the country, which could mean more cross-border traffic in Whatcom County.

The CBC reported on Friday, Feb. 11, that the Canadian federal government is close to removing mandatory PCR testing for fully vaccinated Canadians who travel outside Canada, possibly making an announcement next week. Currently, Canadians need to have a negative molecular test for COVID-19 taken within 72 hours of arriving at a border crossing.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, cross-border traffic into Whatcom County played a significant role in the local economy. According to a report done by the Border Policy Research Institute at Western Washington University, Canadians spent $140 million in this area in 2018, which represented 11.5% of Whatcom’s taxable retail sales. The report estimates that Blaine received about $24.6 million from Canadian shoppers, which is more than Lynden, Sumas, Birch Bay and Ferndale combined. Bellingham received $107.8 million from Canadian shoppers.