Without the waiver, the state would have been forced to cancel the train, which has proved popular with tourists and Washington residents.
Keeping the second train is good for Washington state and good for tourism.
The governor was practically giddy in her praise for the waiver.
“The decision to waive the border clearance fee is fantastic news for both Washington state and British Columbia, as well as for those businesses that have greatly benefitted from the second Amtrak line,” Gregoire said. “There’s no question the second train has helped our economic recovery – leading to a significant increase in tourism spending on both sides of the border. At the same time, we’ve been successful in removing thousands of passengers from our roads – easing congestion at our border crossings and decreasing harmful greenhouse gas emissions. The benefits of this train are clear – and imposing a fee would have put those benefits at risk.”
Gregoire had urged the Canadian government to waive the fee last fall, warning that in these times of tight operating budgets the state Department of Transportation did not have the half-million dollar clearance fee. She said without the waiver, the second train to Vancouver would be canceled.
Canadian officials insisted that they needed the $1,500-a-day fee for border staffing for the nighttime Amtrak Cascade train, which arrives in Vancouver at about 11 p.m., and leaves at 6:40 the following morning. The evening train complements a more long-standing morning train to Vancouver.
That second train, which was added when Vancouver hosted the winter Olympics for 17 days in February 2010, has resonated with passengers. Ridership to Vancouver has doubled to 70,000 passengers a year and spending by those visitors has increased from $16 million to $31 million.
That’s why it was pivotal to keep the train chugging along.
Washington and British Columbia long have promoted cross-border tourism. But the potential loss of the second train prompted Gregoire to write a sternly worded letter last October to Canada’s minister of public safety. She said, “We don’t charge you. America doesn’t charge you, so why now are you charging us?” Gregoire also said the train fee raised the possibility that Canada might adopt similar fees on state ferries or flights into that country. The governor warned it could spread to crossings along the entire U.S.-Canada border.
“I don’t think you treat best friends like this,” Gregoire said at the time.
She asked the state’s congressional delegation and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano to intervene.
“As best friends, I don’t threaten,” she said, “but you know, we can’t allow this to happen.”
That’s why last week’s announcement was greeted with such relief in the governor’s office.
“I applaud the work of our congressional delegation, including Senator Patty Murray and Representative Rick Larson for their efforts to secure this second line, and I thank the federal officials on both sides of the border for listening to our concerns,” Gregoire said. “Today, I spoke again to Secretary Napolitano and am proud she went to bat for our state.”
Gregoire saluted British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell, saying the two leaders have worked “shoulder to shoulder with our local mayors, elected officials and business leaders to ensure the second line continues.”
On this thorny issue, diplomacy worked and Washington residents, businesses and tourists will benefit as a result.
