U.S., Canadian Officials Say Non-Essential Travel Between Countries Still Off Limits

On social media last week, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that non-essential travel between United States and Canada will remain restricted for another 30 days, until June 21, 2021.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security had made the same statement on social media earlier in the week. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security also said it is “working closely with Canada and Mexico to safely ease restrictions as conditions improve.”

According to news reports, Prime Minister Trudeau also has suggested that 75 percent of Canadians will need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 before the Canada-U.S. border can be reopened.

As Politico reported, U.S. lawmakers have called on President Joe Biden and Justin Trudeau to open the border.

Rep. Brian Higgins, co-chair of Congress’ Northern Border Caucus, who represents a district along the Canadian frontier, wants the border open to people who have been fully vaccinated. Rep. Higgins, a Democrat from New York, said, “It’s a shame that more progress hasn’t been made by the Biden administration … Here we are, no plan. And just to arbitrarily say the border is going to remain closed without any vision as to if the following things go right — it’s just ridiculous.”