On Wednesday, March 18, President Donald Trump announced the border between the U.S. and Canada will temporarily close for nonessential travel. Sault Ste. Marie officials say from a local economy standpoint, this is a punch in the gut.
Executive Director for the Downtown Development Authority, Justin Knepper said Canadian customers make up 40 percent of business on the Michigan side.
"It's big," he said. "It's going to go near zeroes."
Knepper said many businesses are still deciding whether to shut down.
“A lot of small businesses don’t know if they’ll be able to reopen," Knepper said. "If you go without a paycheck or revenue for a month or two, you’re kind of toast."
He said the city is working with lawmakers to get assistance for business owners impacted by new coronavirus rules.
