PAUL NURSEY
On Tuesday, August 24 Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) announced the reopening of several Canadian marine ports-of-entry to American travelers. These borders would reopen beginning September 7.
Destination Greater Victoria and its partners were elated with the news, as this meant Belleville Terminal on Victoria’s Inner Harbour would reopen. When land and air borders reopened to American travelers on August 9, we received word that marine borders would remain closed. We were not given an explanation and were left in the dark as to why this decision was made.
The marine border is of vital importance to the Greater Victoria visitor economy and the community. Traditionally, services like Clipper and MV Coho create an economic impact in the hundreds of millions of dollars and bring hundreds of thousands of visitors to Greater Victoria and from Seattle and Port Angeles, WA.
There are many people who played a part in this positive outcome. Mayor Lisa Helps from the City of Victoria and her mayoral colleagues, as well as First Nations chiefs, were strong advocates. Mayor Helps organized these local leaders to write the federal government to reopen the marine border.
BC Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Rob Fleming, MP Elizabeth May, Black Ball Ferry Line (which operates MV Coho) CEO Ryan Burles, Clipper Vacations CEO Dave Gudgel, Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce CEO Bruce Williams and Downtown Victoria Business Association Executive Director Jeff Bray all rallied and were strong voices to have the marine border reopened. Minister Fleming was especially effective working government-to-government and MP May intervened directly and effectively with leaders in the government in the days before the federal election was called.
Clipper Vacations resumed operations September 17. MV Coho relies on Canadian travelers more than Clipper, and with the US border still closed to Canadians a decision for resumption of service by Black Ball Ferry Lines has not been made. Belleville Terminal’s reopening also does not affect Kenmore Air’s current lack of service from Seattle nor does it affect Victoria International Airport’s inability to receive air traffic from US airports. For Kenmore Air, their service to Seattle likely won’t resume until 2022.
Destination Greater Victoria will continue to work with its partners on cross-border issues. The American market – particularly Washington State – is an important source of visitors to Greater Victoria. There is still more work to do. However, the announcement of the marine border reopening was a step in the right direction on the path to recovery for the Greater Victoria visitor economy.
Paul Nursey is the President and CEO of Destination Greater Victoria
