Border town mayors call on Ottawa for funding and support

Mayors of several Canadian border towns are calling for support from the federal government as the trade war with the United States begins to hurt their communities.

They say their municipalities are disproportionately affected because local businesses rely heavily on the cross-border movement of goods and visitors.

Mike Bradley, Mayor of Sarnia, Ontario, says they are on the front lines of the trade war and need direct support from the federal government to overcome the serious economic repercussions of growing tensions between the two nations.

Trina Jones, mayor of Woodstock, New Brunswick, says the provinces and Ottawa must “act quickly and intelligently” to help businesses in border communities like hers before it’s too late.

Barbara Barrett, executive director of the Border Duty-Free Association, says duty-free shops are at a breaking point as cross-border traffic declines due to U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats and imposition of tariffs on Canadian products.

It calls on the federal government to address the unique needs of cities and local businesses that depend on cross-border trade and tourism.

Cameron Bissonnette, owner of a duty-free store in Osoyoos, British Columbia, says his business is going through a rough patch, and the situation is so bad that one day last week, his store ended the day with a $67 loss, meaning no transactions were made except for a refund.

He claims that duty-free shops are “hostages” to the ongoing trade war.

–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews