'It's absolute madness': Residents in Point Roberts, Washington beg federal leaders for help
In Point Roberts, Washington, businesses continue to bleed.
Officially a part of Whatcom County, Point Roberts is a tiny exclave home to approximately 900 residents. It sits just below the 49th parallel on the Tsawwassen peninsula and is only accessible by land through Canada.
The community’s economy is almost entirely dependent on Canadian tourists, and residents there say the federal government's latest extension of its ban on nonessential travel across U.S. land borders is the most consequential extension yet.
That’s because Point Roberts residents are now allowed to travel to Delta — a city in British Columbia just across the border — to buy groceries and other items without having to submit proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test. Community leaders don’t begrudge residents for shopping elsewhere after spending months in isolation, but they say the newfound freedom to buy goods in Canada is driving business away from local stores that have already suffered greatly during the pandemic.
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https://www.seattlepi.com/local/seattlenews/article/point-roberts-begs-federal-leaders-for-help-16410039.php