Latest news with #SunsetCountryTravelAssociation
CBC
25-03-2025
- Business
- CBC
Northwestern Ontario businesses brace for tariff impact
As the United States and Canada descend into a trade war, some northwestern Ontario businesses near the border say they're worried they'll be caught in the crossfire. "Northwestern Ontario is highly dependent on US travelers," said Gerry Cariou, Executive Director of the Sunset Country Travel Association. One of the biggest local economic drivers is fishing, hunting and other outdoor-related tourism, he said. Roughly nine out of ten guests who travel to the Kenora area to stay at lodges are from the United States, said Cariou. "The marketing activity of a typical fishing or hunting lodge in this area of Ontario is exclusively directed at Americans," he said. Americans have traditionally been the primary market for fishing lodges because of their proximity to the border, which makes it closer for many Americans to get to Kenora than it would be for the majority of people living in large Canadian cities. Canadians living within a day's drive of Kenora usually have their own camps, and aren't as incentivized to stay at a fishing lodge with a guide, said Cariou. Cariou said he's concerned the tariffs on bringing items like groceries or fuel over the border to Canada may dissuade Americans who might otherwise be interested in visiting. "It's going to potentially lead to cancellations by people who react negatively to it. So I could see this having a negative impact on tourism in 2025 season in Ontario," he said. Cariou said it's sad relations between the two countries have degraded to the point that it could impact people and businesses. "Tariff wars are not the answer to solving trade issues, in my opinion," he said. Impact felt by local businesses Business owners could also feel the tariffs hit their own wallets directly, said Ted Putnam, owner of Hawk Lake Lodge in Northwest Ontario. Putnam, who is American, said he usually brings $20,000 to $40,000 of supplies for the summer over the border with him at the start of each season. Often this includes products that are hard to procure in Canada, he said. "There are a lot of things as business owners in Northwest Ontario that we don't really have a choice, we have to buy them. So a lot of products are coming from the States, whether they're specialized products for boats, engines, electronics, kitchen appliances, whatever," he said. Putnam said he's had to reduce what he's bringing this year because of how expensive the tariffs are. While he doesn't expect the tariffs on items brought into Canada to cause guests to cancel, he said other factors related to the trade war could make Canada less appealing to visit. "It's not even the money, but also the potential increase in times to cross the border and wait times. These small border crossings, whether it's Baudette or International Falls, they're not really ready to handle looking at every car coming in and having them come into the border crossing station and take care of a tariff on $200 worth of potatoes and oranges and eggs," said Putnam. He said he's not worried about tension between the two countries impacting guests hoping to stay at his lodge.
CBC
17-03-2025
- CBC
Vermilion Bay Bigfoot gets into St. Patrick's Day spirit
Social Sharing Who, exactly, built Vermilion Bay's 20-foot-fall, hitchhiking Bigfoot statue may be a mystery, but what's certain is the legendary cryptid's fondness for St. Patrick's Day. The statue, which has stood along Highway 17 for decades, is showing off its fondness for all things Irish, complete with a green buckle hat, little leprechaun friend, and a pot of gold. Max Nagy, economic development officer with Vermilion Bay, says volunteers dressed up Bigfoot for the occasion. "It's a fun gesture," he said. "A lot of people don't realize it's done by volunteers." "It really stands out," Nagy said. "Being a small community like ourselves, you've got to kind of have to have that one thing that stands out when people are driving through." The Sunset Country Travel Association's website states the statue was moved to its current location in 1982 by former owners Liz and Max Lang (Nagy said the Lang family donated the statue to the municipality in 2024). The statue, the website states, "was built completely by hand by a local man several decades ago. The name of this man is unknown and his whereabouts is an even greater mystery."
