Minnesota businesses along the Canada border could be in line for some financial support.
A proposed bill would make $15 million available.
Koochiching Economic Development Authority’s Paul Nevanan told a state committee the border closure has hurt International Falls.
“On our main business corridor, we have ten long established businesses that are either for sale and have closed for the result of this and for every month that border remains closed, the number of businesses that will continue to be affected may grow,” says Nevanan.
Nevanan says Canadian customers account for 50 per cent of more of their entire clientel for many businesses,
He says the impacts of the border closures also go beyond retail.
“Our medical and dental communities actually are impacted. A lot of Canadian customers come over for that service. Even community events and families have been disrupted. Concerts, summer events and winter events, actually, we’ve lost those Canadian folks that make us such a flourishing community,” says Nevanan.
Eric Johnson, owner/operator of RLB Incorporated, says he normal makes shipments of propane across Rainy Lake to cottage owners.
American owners have been restricted to reaching those cabins.
Johnson says that’s put a huge dent on sales.
“These people could not get to their summer cabins and therefore, cannot use any propane and gasoline since the pandemic. My business gross receipts are down over 50% in both 2020 and 2021 compared to the same time frame in 2019,” says Johnson.
