A judge for the Ontario Superior Court of Justice earlier this month has placed Peace Bridge Duty Free Inc. — the operator of the duty free shop in Fort Erie, Ontario — into receivership.
The receivership status means a third-party can take control of the shop's assets, and possibly liquidate them to repay creditors.
Those creditors include the Buffalo and Fort Erie Peace Bridge Authority and the Royal Bank of Canada. The bridge authority is the landlord for the duty free shop, and court documents show they're owed up to $17 million in back rent. The Royal Bank of Canada is owed about $3.3 million.
Peace Bridge Duty Free Inc. contends the number is lower. The judge in the case overruled many of the arguments made by the company in court.
The shop will continue to operate, as U.S. Customs and Border Protection data shows a drop of around 900,000 northern border travelers in March of 2025, compared to March 2024.
