ELLICOTTVILLE, N.Y. — ​Now that the northern border is open in both directions, Canadians can now freely move about the U.S., with many heading to their second homes, in parts of the state.

For the first time in almost two years, Ann Paul, of Stoney Creek, Ontario, went to her other home in Ellicottville.

"Well, we were super excited to come down here and our nextdoor neighbors, who are American, turned on the lights, turned on the heat. So it was very welcoming," Paul said.

On Nov. 8, the Department of Homeland Security lifted temporary travel restrictions at the border, allowing fully vaccinated Canadian citizens to enter the U.S.

Ann and her husband left Ontario at 11 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 7, and after a two-and-a-half hour crawl across the border, they arrived home at 3:30 a.m.

"But we expected it to be busy and we didn't mind waiting because we couldn't' wait to get back here,” Ann said. “We wanted to get here as soon as we could."

"We couldn't wait for them,” Brian McFadden, Ellicottville Chamber of Commerce executive director, said. “The excitement of the village is amazing. These people have been coming here for 50 years. They're friends, they're family, they're homeowners and they’re neighbors."

And they have all come home to a tremendous welcome, complete with flags and signs, including the one on the way into town, and the ones in the windows of several village merchants.

McFadden said the local economy did well despite COVID-19 and the border shutdown, thanks to visitors from other parts of the country.

"But we never know,” McFadden said. “They may start going back to where they came from before, once COVID settles down. So, getting the Canadians back is the icing on the cake. They're here all the time. We can count on them. Winter and summer, they're here."

Ann, now here, is unpacking and cleaning, settling in and getting the house ready for the winter season after months of anticipation.

"It was super frustrating,” Ann said. “We missed our friends, our lifestyle, the skiing. The whole atmosphere of HoliMont and Ellicottville."

There are longtime friends and neighbors who Ann couldn't wait to catch up with over coffee on the deck.

"It is so nice,” Ann said. “We missed it so much. It was a very sad year. The HoliMont community and the Ellicottville community are the family that we choose. We love it down here, so yay, we're back.”

Chamber leaders also said to ease some of the concerns over COVID-19 testing requirements. Holi-Mont Ski Club is holding pop-up testing clinics for Canadians to return home, and making it easier for their friends and family to visit.