Niagara Falls tourist boats from US, Canada show stark contrast amid pandemic

Photos of boats packed with U.S. tourists passing nearly empty Canadian vessels at Niagara Falls during the coronavirus pandemic say it all, according to some visitors.

“I’m glad I’m in Canada,” said Amanda Barnes of Brampton, Ontario, Reuters reported. “You can see why the pandemic is raging in the United States and not in Canada when you look at the difference between the boats.”

Tourist boats from the Canadian side of the falls are limited to just six passengers per trip, although they’ll soon be allowed to carry up to 100 as restrictions ease, CTV News reports.

“It’s ridiculous actually, I mean, it’s not about safety. We are beyond safe,” said Mory DiMaurizio, vice president and general manager at Hornblower Niagara Cruises, according to the station.

“But I understand the dynamics of two different regulatory bodies and two different governments making decisions for two different reasons,” DiMaurizio said, according to The Buffalo News.

On the American side of the falls, the Maid of the Mist boat sails with half its normal load of 460 passengers under U.S. coronavirus restrictions, the publication reported.

“We actually took a picture of the (American) boat,” said Julie Pronovost of Quebec, Reuters reported. “I don’t find that it’s very safe to be on a boat like that. It’s much better here.”

More than 15 million cases of the COVID-19 virus have been confirmed worldwide with more than 618,000 deaths as of Wednesday, July 22, according to Johns Hopkins University. The United States has more than 3.9 million confirmed cases with more than 142,000 deaths.

Canada has had more than 113,00 confirmed cases and more than 8,900 deaths, the university reported.

The World Health Organization has declared coronavirus a global pandemic. In the United States, President Donald Trump has declared a national emergency.

This story was originally published July 22, 2020 at 3:49 PM with the headline "Niagara Falls tourist boats from US, Canada show stark contrast amid pandemic."