The U.S.-Canada border will remain closed to non-essential traffic until June 21, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Tuesday morning.
The travel ban for recreational travel was originally set to expire Thursday, May 21. Canada and the United States extended their agreement to keep the border closed to non-essential travel to June 21 during the coronavirus pandemic.
“This is an important decision that will keep people in both of our countries safe,” said Trudeau said.
Watch live: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addresses Canadians on the #COVID19 situation from Rideau Cottage, in Ottawa. https://t.co/bfFXP7WG2Y
— CanadianPM (@CanadianPM) May 19, 2020
Trudeau said Thursday that the border is a source of vulnerability so the agreement will be extended by another 30 days. The restrictions were first announced on March 18.
“The decisions that were taking are very much made week-to-week in this crisis. The situation is changing rapidly and we're adjusting constantly to what are the right measures for Canadians to get that balance right between keeping people safe, and restoring a semblance of normality and economic activity that we all rely on,” said the prime minister.
Canada’s provincial leaders had implored the prime minister to keep the measures in place, considering the growing number of infections and COVID-19 deaths in the U.S.
Speaking about the agreement at the White House, U.S. President Donald Trump said that “as things clean up,” in terms of the COVID-19 pandemic, both sides will “want to get back to normal.”
“We’re very close to Canada,” he said.
According to the Associated press, the U.S. has more confirmed cases and deaths from COVID-19 than any country in the world, though its per-capita numbers are well below many other nations.
Below is the list of more essential travel exemptions, as defined by the Department of Homeland Security:
- Individuals traveling for medical purposes
- Individuals traveling to attend educational institutions
- Individuals traveling to work in the United States
- Individuals traveling for emergency response and public health purposes
- Individuals engaged in lawful cross-border trade
- Individuals engaged in official government travel or diplomatic travel
- Members of U.S. Armed Forces, and the spouses and children of members of the U.S. Armed Forces, returning to the United States
- Individuals engaged in military-related travel or operations
The travel restrictions do not apply to air, freight rail, or sea travel between the U.S. and Canada.
