Northern Ontario's resource-based tourism sector calling for Canada-US border to reopen

Resource-based tourism operators in northern Ontario are calling on the Canadian government to reopen the Canada - US border.

Resource-based tourism typically involves nature and the outdoors, and attracts visitors who want to hunt or fish.

Hunting and fishing lodges in northern Ontario rely heavily on American visitors, and most have been affected during the pandemic. They've either been closed or had to operate under provincial restrictions.

Current border restrictions are set to be in place until July 21.

"Our clients are basically from the US," said David MacLachlan, executive director of Destination Northern Ontario.

Based on their research, 90 per cent of the clients come from the US to northeastern Ontario operators like remote lodges in the Algoma region. That number climbs to 100 per cent for northwestern Ontario.

MacLachlan estimates 1-million Americans come across the border to visit northern Ontario, and spend their money here.

But because of the non-essential visits being restricted at the border, visitors are staying home in the United States.It's meant operators have had to stretchtheir finances as far as they can.

"A lot of operators, again from the research that we've done, have exasperated and used all their personal resources, their business resources and on average have taken on more than $100,000 worth of new debt," he said.

MacLachlan feels the sector can rebound quickly, but can only do that with an open border.

"Things will only improve for this sector with an open border."

Guests willing to do 'whatever it takes'

The owner and operator of Crane's Lochaven Wilderness, a full-service fishing resort in the French River area, says those who want to visit her fishing resort have no problem abiding by public health rules.

"I did contact my guests and asked them, told them that they would have to be vaccinated," Sue Crane said.

She also asked them if a test at the border would be an issue, and said the general response was "whatever it takes to get to the lodge, we're willing to do."

Crane added that many Americans had made bookings with the hopes that the border would reopen. But with it still closed, she says her July bookings went from 95 per cent occupancy, down to just 15 per cent.

The resort has full bookings for August.

"Filled with American guests again," she said.

"These people want to get here. They'll do anything; they'll do whatever we ask of them to get here," Crane said.

"So hopefully the borders will open on July 22nd so we can host some of these people."

As for the rest of the tourism industry in northern Ontario, MacLachlan calls it 'diverse'.

"Some of our sectors do have the possibility once we reopen of regaining some lost ground and actually having a strong summer and fall season," he said. Examples include campgrounds, parks, motels, Airbnbs, and rentals for cabins and cottages.

Those tourism operatorsthat will still be challenged include urban hotels, festivals, concerts and sporting events.

"Anything that has a crowd attached to it," MacLachlan said.