By Katie Dangerfield, Global News, June 18, 2021
The Canada-U.S. border will remain closed for at least another month amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Bill Blair, the federal minister of public safety, announced Friday.
Blair took to Twitter to make the announcement, saying “in coordination with the U.S., we are extending restrictions on non-essential international travel and with the United States until July 21st, 2021.
In his statement, Blair added that “the government is planning measures for fully vaccinated Canadians, permanent residents, and others who are currently permitted to enter Canada.”
He said further details will come on June 21.
The announcement comes a day after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and premiers met to discuss the possibility of opening the land border between Canada and the U.S., which has been closed for non-essential travel since March 2020.
The ban, which does not cover trade or travel by air, has been rolled over several times. The current restrictions were to expire on June 21.
Trudeau said on June 13 he had spoken with U.S. President Joe Biden about how to lift the restrictions, but made clear no breakthrough has been achieved.
