'Absolutely devastating': Struggling duty-free stores call for end to ArriveCan app
Duty-free shops along Canada's border, like the one in Emerson, are continuing to report record low sales.
Driving home to Colorado from his trip to Canada, Jim Payson decided to stop at the Emerson Duty Free Shop to buy some gifts and a bottle of Crown Royal.
"This was the first time since COVID that we've been across, so it's been probably four years ago last time I came across," said Payson.
Michael Resch, the owner of the Emerson Duty Free Shop, said business has been the worst in the decades he's been open.
"The last couple of years have been absolutely devastating with COVID and the border closed, so we had almost no business at all," he said.
While the border has since reopened, tourism hasn't returned to normal.
Resch said on a pre-COVID Sunday in summer, his parking lot would be nearly full -- a very different situation than right now.
"Well, you can see there's the odd car coming in. Most of them are American travellers. There's very little Canadians going out."
Resch said his sales are only a quarter of what a normal summer should be.
The Frontier Duty Free Association (FDFA) says duty-free shops across the country are hurting.
In a recent report, its 17 members reported a 44.82 per cent decrease in sales in July compared to July 2019. A concerning number as July is the prime month for sales.
The report also found peak holidays like Independence Day and the August long weekend were down about the same.
The association believes government hurdles like the ArriveCan app and vaccination requirements stop more tourists from crossing the border.
"It's only hurting tourism business, more over hurting border towns and border community businesses, so it's doing more harm than good," said Barbara Barrett, executive director of the FDFA.
The FDFA is now calling on the feds to scrap the app, hoping it will encourage people to travel.
"It's important not only for myself," said Resch, "It's important for the employees. It's important for the economy."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Town of Fort Nelson, B.C., ordered to evacuate due to wildfire
The entire town of Fort Nelson, B.C., as well as the nearby Fort Nelson First Nation, has been ordered to evacuate due to an out-of-control wildfire.
Bouchard lifts Edmonton Oilers to 4-3 overtime win over Canucks in Game 2
Evan Bouchard scored 5:38 into overtime and the Edmonton Oilers bounced back for a 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs on Friday.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Video shows naked raccoon catching B.C. family by surprise
When Marvin Henschel spotted a strange and hairless creature wandering through a front lawn in B.C.'s Lower Mainland, he could barely believe his eyes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Out-of-control wildfire prompts evacuation alert for Fort McMurray, Saprae Creek Estates Friday night
An evacuation alert was issued for two Wood Buffalo communities Friday night, as crews battled an out-of-control wildfire near Fort McMurray.