Couple who quit jobs to travel eager for U.S. land border reopening
On September 23, Neil Harrietha and Patsy Hughes finished their final day of work.
The couple had quit their jobs, sold all their furniture and we’re ready to start a 181-day road trip across the United States in their RV.
"The border was supposed to open, so we thought, you know what the way the world is, if it’s going to open we’re going to go for it," Neil Harrietha said.
However, the border remained closed to Canadians.
“After we quit they started to delay the opening of the border and we’re looking at each other going, well we’re homeless now, we’ve given everything up,” Harrietha said.
Instead, Harrietha, Hughes, and two travelling companions - Eddie and Brenda Rose - began a journey across Canada, hoping to head to British Columbia for warmer weather.
They never made it.
"We were going to get there for the warmer weather and when the border opened we were going to cross, but we got as far as Thunder Bay and found out the border was going to open," Eddie Rowe said.
For three weeks, the foursome has been camping just outside Thunder Bay, eagerly anticipating the day the border would finally reopen.
"Like a kid at Christmas, one more sleep," Brenda Rowe said.
Experts expect major lineups of cars, full of Canadians anxious to take advantage of the new travel options Monday.
"I think you’re going to see a real rush of people just crush across to take advantage of what they’ve been missing out on, which is getting the cheaper deals in the US, especially with the holiday season coming up," Moshe Lander, an economics professor at Concordia University said.
Some say they are eager for a trip south but are put off by the cost of the required negative PCR test to re-enter Canada; mandatory even on trips less than 72 hours.
"That will be a drawback, I mean it won’t be worth it to go there and then you have to wait for the results," said Clem Pinto, who plans to go shopping in the states over the Black Friday weekend.
"Absolutely not, I’d like to but...you have to take a COVID test to come back for up to $200 even though my wife and I are double vaccinated," Marvin Epstein said.
On Friday, Canada’s top doctor said Health Canada would review the border policies, which are currently set to expire on Nov. 21.
"All of these border policies are being actively looked at, at the moment and one of the key ones is what testing measures should be in place for people taking shorter trips," Dr. Theresa Tam, the Chief Medical Officer of Health, said.
Despite the fees, many travellers are still willing to incur the costs to drive a route they haven’t been able to in nearly two years.
"We’ve been here for three weeks and I want to go," Ernie Rowe said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Hamas says latest ceasefire talks have ended. Israel vows military operation in 'very near future'
The latest round of Gaza cease-fire talks ended in Cairo after "in-depth and serious discussions,"{ the Hamas militant group said Sunday, reiterating key demands that Israel again rejected.
Montreal man on the hook for thousands of dollars after a feature on his Tesla caused an accident
A Montreal man is warning Tesla drivers about using the Smart Summon feature after his vehicle hit another in a parking lot.
B.C. man wants homes for thousands of books he soon won't be able to read
In the 10 years since John William started to lose his vision, he's been finding new ways to enjoy his vast personal library.
‘Love has no boundaries’: Sask. couple in their 90s and 80s get married
Eighty-two-year-old Susan Neufeldt and 90-year-old Ulrich Richter are no spring chickens, but their love blossomed over the weekend with their wedding at Pine View Manor just outside of Rosthern.
Trudeau 'absolutely' best person to lead the Liberals in next election: LeBlanc insists
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc insists he's not planning a leadership campaign to head the Liberal party, should current leader and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau resign, seemingly quashing rumours he's planning to make a move for his boss' job.
Bombarded with spam texts? Stats show the problem is getting worse in Canada
In particular, messages that involve phishing — an attack where a scammer tries to trick the recipient into clicking a malicious link, downloading malware or sharing sensitive information — are on the rise.
One dead after potential wrong way crash on Highway 401 in Milton: OPP
One person is dead and another is in life-threatening condition after a driver was travelling in the wrong direction on Highway 401 in Milton Sunday, according to police.
opinion You don't need to be an influencer to earn income from social media
How legitimate are claims by some content creators that the average person can earn passive income from social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram? Personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says it's quite possible, if you're willing to put in the initial time and effort.
William Shatner says he would consider 'Star Trek' return: 'Here comes Captain Kirk!'
The Montreal-born actor, famed for his portrayal of Captain Kirk in "Star Trek," says he is open to reprising the iconic role in the sci-fi franchise as long as the storytelling is stellar.