So far, relaxed travel restrictions between the United States and Canada have not led to a big influx of tourists on either side of the New York-Ontario border. Both sides are waiting, not so patiently.
When the U.S. land border reopened to Canadian travelers on Nov. 8, businesses in Buffalo, one of the biggest border cities, rejoiced. After 20 months, the thousands of Canadians who used to drive over to shop, dine and attend events would finally be coming back. The Buffalo News even ran an editorial urging Buffalonians to honk their car horns appreciatively whenever they saw an Ontario license plate.
But in the ensuing days, a disappointingly small number of Canadians showed up. While passenger-car traffic entering the United States over the Peace Bridge at Buffalo almost doubled from the previous week, it was still 2.5 times lower than 2019 levels, said Ron Rienas, general manager of the Peace Bridge Authority.
