From his perch as vice chairman of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee, U.S. Rep. Ted Yoho, R-Fla., is looking to extend the time snowbirds from Canada can visit Florida and the rest of the United States.
Yoho teamed up with U.S. Rep. Albio Sires, D-NJ, to bring out the “Promoting Tourism to Enhance our Economy Act” on Tuesday. The proposal would let seniors from Canada who own a secondary residence in the U.S. visit for 240 days a year instead of the current 180 days. They would still be classified as nonresident aliens and would not be eligible for public assistance.
Both Yoho and Sires, who also sits on the Foreign Affairs Committee, pointed to the economic benefits that Florida and other parts of the nation could garner from having Canadian seniors stay longer.
“Tourism is a vital industry in Florida, and many Canadian citizens have vacation properties or rentals in our state,” Yoho, who was named chairman of the U.S. House Asia and Pacific Subcommittee last month, noted.
“This contributes a great deal to the economy in Florida,” Yoho added. “This sensible legislation will ensure that our friends to the north are able to extend their stay in the U.S. for two additional months without any additional costs to American taxpayers. Canada is one of America’s closest allies and her citizens contribute millions of dollars to the U.S. economy. This bill will provide an incentive for additional tourism from Canada in the future and will strengthen the bond between our two nations.”
“Increased tourism from Canada will spur job growth in towns across the United States,” said Sires who is the ranking Democrat on the U.S. House Western Hemisphere Subcommittee. “Allowing our neighbors to spend more time to enjoy what our country has to offer will help small businesses and expand the economy.”
More international tourists visit Florida from Canada than any other nation. Back in 2015, the Canadian General Consulate in Miami released a study showing visitors from that nation to Florida lead to jobs in the Sunshine State.
“Despite the thousand miles which separate Canada and Florida, Canada has an enduring impact on the Florida economy that extends well beyond oil, timber and snowbirds,” the Canadian General Consulate noted. “Canada has for decades and remains today the state’s most significant economic partner, supporting over 620,200 Florida jobs, sustaining a thriving bilateral trade relationship and integrated manufacturing, and supporting Florida’s real estate and tourism industries.
“As Floridians know, Canadians love the Sunshine State,” the Canadian General Consulate continued. “Canada is Florida’s number one source of international tourism, with more than four million visits by Canadians – a figure which is growing by 4 percent annually. Canadian tourists spend 50 percent more time in Florida and 74 percent more dollars annually than before the recession, and outstrip all other foreign visitors to Florida, in part by virtue of our long stays. Hundreds of Floridian businesses and thousands of employees depend on Canadian tourists, and especially on the seasonal snowbirds, who return year after year.
“Canadians remain Florida’s number one international purchasers of real estate, accounting for more than 30 percent of all foreign homes sales in 2013," the Canadian General Consulate added. “Canadians purchase approximately 6 percent of all homes sold in Florida. Loyal snowbirds and other Canadians who own property in the state inject nearly half a billion dollars annually into the economy through property taxes.”
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