Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has loosened border restrictions and announced Canada will begin to allow U.S. citizens and permanent residents living in the United States who are fully vaccinated to enter for nonessential travel without quarantining. Meanwhile, the U.S. has extended border restrictions on nonessential travel, keeping its borders with Canada closed until August 21 amid surging cases triggered by the Delta variant.
Travelers wanting to enter Canada must be fully vaccinated U.S. citizens and permanent residents, and will need to use the official CBSA ArriveCan app before traveling to document their vaccination status, they must be asymptomatic and present a negative coronavirus molecular test taken within 72 hours of departure or arrival at a land crossing. Eligible vaccines must have been manufactured by Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson and excludes those made in Russia and China, including some that have been authorized by the World Health Organization. In addition, unvaccinated minors younger than 12 entering Canada with vaccinated parents or guardians will not have to quarantine for 14 days.
The U.S. government announcement that the United States would keep its borders closed, clearly frustrated leaders in the border states.
Governor Mills released this statement: “The State of Maine is inextricably bound to our Canadian neighbors. Our ties stretch across our economy, our culture, and our families. The decision to prolong the border closure on our end only diminishes these ties, hurts local economies, and separates families, particularly in northern and eastern Maine, whose relatives in Canada will be unable to travel here to see their loved ones. I share the Federal government’s concern about the spread of COVID-19, but vaccines are now available and Canada’s vaccination rate now exceeds that of the United States. The time has come for the U.S. government to safely open the border.”
“The last 16 months have been extremely challenging for everyone — but they’ve been especially difficult for those individuals who were separated from their friends, family, and loved ones and for the businesses along the border that have struggled because of the pandemic,” Governor Cuomo said.
“I am encouraged to hear that the Canadian Government has announced they will soon welcome fully vaccinated Americans to Canada once again. Vermonters value the close trading relationship and friendship we share with Canadians, and I know many are eagerly awaiting visiting again after more than 16 months,” said Governor Scott.
“I did ask (the White House) about the Canadian border following Canada’s positive announcement yesterday,” Governor Scott said during his weekly news briefing. “Unfortunately, they continued to defer, which is disappointing, because I believe it’s past time to open the border.”
“This decision by the federal government to once again delay border crossings with Canada is absurd. It harms our small businesses and families, and does not follow the science. Canada has announced they will open their borders to fully vaccinated Americans and it’s time the USA follows suit,” said Governor Sununu.
Even some Democratic members of Congress were criticizing the Biden Administration at a recent Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing where members grilled Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas about the agency’s refusal to reciprocate Canada’s recent move to open its doors to vaccinated Americans. “I don’t understand the public health analysis, given the Canadian vaccination rates and given that they’re just allowing vaccinated Americans in. We could do the same reciprocally,” said Senator Hassan. Secretary Mayorkas responded that the decision on the border is based on public health and informed by the course of the Covid pandemic, but the U.S. can make incremental changes if conditions call for them.
On July 30, border state governors wrote a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Secretary of State Antony Blinken. “It is our strongly held view as Governors that the public health data, science and advice of our own experts support a responsible, timely reopening plan,” the governors wrote in their letter.
The United States won’t open its land border to Canadians for non-essential travel until August 21, and there are some concerns that might be delayed because of rising cases of the Delta variant of COVID-19.