Officials Are Discussing Reopening The Canada-US Border & It Could Happen By June 22
The border has been closed to non-essential travel for over a year. 🇨🇦
Officials Are Discussing Reopening The Canada-US Border & It Could Happen By ...
After over a year of travel restrictions, officials are reportedly considering reopening the Canada-U.S. border on June 22, 2021.
Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati told Politico that Trudeau's government has spoken of its plans to start easing restrictions at the Canada-U.S. border, providing the country continues to meet its COVID-19 vaccination targets.
Diodati said that Canada's Public Safety Minister Bill Blair had delivered the message during a recent virtual meeting of border mayors in Ontario.
"He didn't put it in stone but he suggested that [June 22] is the date they're looking at," he said. "We're hoping to get some more confirmation this week."
This was backed up by Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens, who was also involved in the meeting.
"It's [the federal government's] belief and their projections that we can reach that target by June 21," Dilkens added, according to the same report. "He said they're looking for a phased and logical staged reopening."
What has Justin Trudeau said?
During a press conference on June 8, the prime minister was asked directly about Diodati's comments on reopening the border between Canada and the United States.
Trudeau told reporters that there were "no announcements to make today," but said those who've been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will be at the forefront of any changes.
"We need people to get the full two doses of their vaccines and that's why easing of restrictions will be focused on Canadians who are fully vaccinated," he explained.
When are current restrictions set to end?
The Canada-U.S. border was first closed to non-essential travel back in March 2020, in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Since then, border restrictions have been extended 14 times in total, with the current rules set to end on June 21, 2021.