OKEECHOBEE — On Sept. 18, Canada Public Safety Minister Bill Blair announced that the border between the United States and Canada would remain closed until Oct. 21. The border ban was first instituted in March and bans Americans from entering the country on non-essential travel.

“We are extending non-essential travel restrictions with the United States until Oct. 21, 2020,” said Minister Blair. “We will continue to base our decisions on the best public health advice available to keep Canadians safe.”

Despite being over 1,000 miles away, Okeechobee will feel the direct consequences of the ban. With restrictions in place until late October and another extension likely coming, many of the Canadian “snowbirds” who spend half the year in Okeechobee won’t make the trip this season.

That loss will only exacerbate the problems the local economy is facing as it attempts to come back from a pandemic that is still raging. Fewer visitors to Okeechobee will lead to fewer sales at local stores and a decrease in tax revenue for local governments.

Heritage Village in Okeechobee is home to a large contingent of French-Canadians who make the yearly trip to Florida. As part of the travel ban, Canadians aren’t allowed to cross the border in their personal vehicles on non-essential travel. That means the 200 Canadians who come to Heritage Village in their recreational vehicles will not be able to travel to Okeechobee this year and instead spend the winter in Quebec. Many of those who come to Heritage Village live in their RVs full-time, even while in Quebec. Many of those RVs aren’t equipped to handle the harsh Canadian winter, which forced many to scramble to find a short-term living solution for the next few months.

A select few have been able to find a costly work-around to the border ban.

While they’re not allowed to drive their personal vehicle across the border, Canadians can still freely fly into the United States. According to Diane Rochon, president of the HOA at Heritage Village, around 20 of part-time residents there have opted to fly into Okeechobee while having their RV shipped to them, taking advantage of an expensive loophole in the border ban.
“The park is basically going to remain closed,” explained Rochon. “There aren’t going to be any activities. Normally we have a dinner every second Saturday, with a dance and everything and, unfortunately, none of that is going to happen. This is going to be a season unlike any other.”

Even if the border ban is lifted on Oct. 21, Rochon reports that it would still be a split of about 50/50 of those who would still attempt to make the trek to Okeechobee.

“A lot of people are hoping that it’ll open on Oct. 21,” said Rochon, “but a lot are saying that even if it opens they might not come because of the rate of infection in Florida. In Canada we have limitations on groups of people and it is mandatory to wear a mask inside. And without that, I think some would be hesitant in going to Florida.”

Currently the State of Florida has more deaths from the virus than the entire country of Canada, by nearly 5,000. And with many of those who would be traveling to Heritage Village being in an at-risk age group, some just aren’t willing to take a chance on their health.

Canadians coming to Florida also have to buy health insurance during their stay, and many of the companies that offer coverage have a hard limit on the amount they will cover and have tacked on additional costs because of the pandemic. While their health care is covered in Canada, the prospect of catching the virus in the United States has many weighing the potential financial costs as well as the health risks.

On Sept. 25, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that state would be moving to Phase 3 of his reopening plan, removing the limit on the number of people who can be together at one time and allowing bars and nightclubs to operate at full capacity.

“I would just tell people the fact that you continue to move forward with the economy doesn’t mean the virus disappears,” DeSantis said at a press conference announcing the move to Phase 3. “So people should just understand it’s something that we are going to have to deal with.”