August 18th, 2008
Border Crossing Could Become a Big Issue for Your Business
Border Crossing Could Become a Big Issue for Your Business How many Canadian tourists visit your business each year? What percentage of your supplies or products come from or through Canada? Even if you're not aware of the impact of Canadian business on your company, it certainly plays a big role in the overall Skagit economy and the economy of the United States, and border crossing changes can mean an increase or a decrease in money coming to this county through Canada.
Business through the U.S.-Canada border accounts for $1.2 billion per day in trade and over 5.2 million jobs in the United States.
One of the major changes coming our way is the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI). The WHTI requires U.S. and Canadian citizens to present a passport, visa, or valid citizenship certification in order to cross the U.S.-Canada border starting in June of 2009. With the impending 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, B.C., this could significantly affect the number of visitors to Skagit County during the Games.
While the WHTI was created to secure America's borders, we need to be mindful of the possible impacts of the WHTI and what we can do to minimize the negative effects to our trade and tourism in Skagit County. One solution is to promote the Enhanced Driver's License (EDL), which is an inexpensive alternative to a passport. Passport fees are $90, whereas an EDL costs $15. The EDL combines a certificate of citizenship with a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) that allows border crossing agents to access full citizenship information on a person, much like the barcode on a passport. EDLs are available now and will be a valid alternative for land and sea border crossing.
On August 27, Ken Opplinger, CEO of the Bellingham/Whatcom Chamber of Commerce and representative of Business for Economic Security, Tourism, and Trade will address the membership about border crossing issues, the Enhanced Driver's Licenses, and what the WHTI means for Skagit County. This IS an important issue for you and your business. Even if you do not deal directly with Canadian suppliers or customers, your neighbor does, and the economic impact of Canadian trade on Skagit County affects us all. Join us on Wednesday, August 27, at the Best Western CottonTree Inn from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm for the monthly membership meeting.
This meeting will be sponsored by My Own Vintage.
Business through the U.S.-Canada border accounts for $1.2 billion per day in trade and over 5.2 million jobs in the United States.
One of the major changes coming our way is the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI). The WHTI requires U.S. and Canadian citizens to present a passport, visa, or valid citizenship certification in order to cross the U.S.-Canada border starting in June of 2009. With the impending 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, B.C., this could significantly affect the number of visitors to Skagit County during the Games.
While the WHTI was created to secure America's borders, we need to be mindful of the possible impacts of the WHTI and what we can do to minimize the negative effects to our trade and tourism in Skagit County. One solution is to promote the Enhanced Driver's License (EDL), which is an inexpensive alternative to a passport. Passport fees are $90, whereas an EDL costs $15. The EDL combines a certificate of citizenship with a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) that allows border crossing agents to access full citizenship information on a person, much like the barcode on a passport. EDLs are available now and will be a valid alternative for land and sea border crossing.
On August 27, Ken Opplinger, CEO of the Bellingham/Whatcom Chamber of Commerce and representative of Business for Economic Security, Tourism, and Trade will address the membership about border crossing issues, the Enhanced Driver's Licenses, and what the WHTI means for Skagit County. This IS an important issue for you and your business. Even if you do not deal directly with Canadian suppliers or customers, your neighbor does, and the economic impact of Canadian trade on Skagit County affects us all. Join us on Wednesday, August 27, at the Best Western CottonTree Inn from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm for the monthly membership meeting.
This meeting will be sponsored by My Own Vintage.