Minnesota's U.S. Senators push for relief for the Northwest Angle
Apr 30, 2021 05:33AM ● By Editor
From WDIO-TV - April 29, 2021
Minnesota's U.S. Senators are pushing for relief for small businesses in the Northwest Angle, where travel has been restricted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The only roads to the community on the northwestern side of Lake of the Woods go through Canada, but the international border has been closed to non-essential travel for more than a year. That has prevented Northwest Angle residents from reaching services within their own country and prevented tourists from reaching the area.
Senators Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar are sponsoring legislation, the Remote Recreational Small Business Interruption Program Act, that would provide forgivable loans to small businesses in the Northwest Angle. The loans would be available for up to 75% of last year's revenue if a business saw a revenue drop of at least half during the second quarter of 2020.
"I've pressed both the Canadian government and the U.S. State Department about the burdensome travel restrictions in place, and this legislation is another way to stand up for the people who live and work in the Northwest Angle and help them weather this crisis," Smith said in a news release.
The situation has been so dire that Northwest Angle businesses built a 30-mile ice road over the U.S. portion of Lake of the Woods over the winter, allowing visitors to reach the community from Warroad.
Washington's Point Roberts faces a similar situation, and the legislation is also sponsored by Washington U.S. Sen. Patty Murray.
To see the original report and related stories, follow this link to the WDIO-Tv website. https://www.wdio.com/politics-news/senators-push-for-relief-for-northwest-angle/6091153/?cat=10335
