New border vax rules begin
Jan. 22—PLATTSBURGH — With the United States' COVID-19 vaccine mandate for essential border crossers going into effect today, one week after Canada implemented an identical rule, the main concern is how truck drivers are included in the restriction, North Country Chamber of Commerce President Garry Douglas says.
"Driver shortages are already severe in both countries and there is ample work available for unvaccinated drivers to stop driving cross-border and work domestically," he told the Press-Republican.
"And while we would ideally like everyone to be vaccinated, more than 20 months of experience shows that focusing on cross-border truckers is not really warranted, especially given potential exacerbations in shipping delays and shortages."
'MISGUIDED POLICY'
When both the United States and Canada shut down the border to nonessential travel in March 2020 in an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19, commercial crossings continued unabated.
This new move shifts away from the mindset favored preserving cross-border supply chains.
U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-Schuylerville) decried the U.S. restriction, saying the Biden administration was forcing northern border recovery to take a step backward.
"Imposing new mandates two years into the pandemic, at a time Americans are already suffering from a supply chain crisis, is another misguided policy decision from the Biden administration that will harm the North Country and needlessly strain the U.S. — Canada economic partnership," she said in a statement. "But I will continue to work to restore normalcy to our cross-border travel."
IMPACTS FELT
Impacts of Canada's vaccine rule were already felt this week.
Canada relies on the United States for much of its fresh produce throughout the winter. Bloomberg reported that grocers said some produce shelves were bare and the cost of hauling goods from the southern United States had jumped 25%.
Douglas said there have also been reports of impacts to Canada's auto sector.
TAKING TO OTTAWA
Canadian truckers now have to be fully vaccinated in order to avoid quarantining for two weeks upon their return to the United States. Bloomberg reported that the mandate could impact 16,000 of them.
Some are preparing to take their opposition to the requirement to Ottawa.
One group plans to depart from British Columbia on "The Convoy for Freedom 2022" Sunday in order to arrive in the Canadian capital next weekend to join other truckers, according to the National Post.
Contingents of Quebec drivers will be among them, reports the Montreal Gazette.
Douglas said he had not heard of American truckers organizing similar action.
STEADY ADVOCACY
Douglas said the chamber will monitor the effects of the new rules on area businesses, and invites those who start to experience challenges to reach out.
"In the near term, we see little political will in Canada to restart progress in cross-border movement," he said. "But we continue to call for bi-national planning and for the earliest resumption of the Canadian exemption of short U.S. visits from the PCR tests.
"We'll eventually get there, but steady advocacy will help to ensure it happens as soon as it can and not later."
Email Cara Chapman:
Twitter: @PPR_carachapman
