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Canada-U.S. to extend border restrictions until Sept. 21

By FWH Online

OTTAWA — Public Safety Minister Bill Blair says restrictions at the Canada-U.S. border will be extended another 30 days due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

It means the two countries will continue their mutual ban on non-essential cross-border travel until at least Sept. 21.

The U.S. port of entry into Blaine, Wash., is seen in Surrey, B.C., on Wednesday, March 18, 2020. Public Safety Minister Bill Blair says restrictions at the Canada-U.S. border will be extended another 30 days due to the COVID-19 pandemic. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

In a tweet, Blair says officials will keep doing what’s necessary to keep communities safe.

A formal announcement of the extension was expected to come later.

The Canada-U.S. border has been closed to so-called “discretionary” travel like vacations and shopping trips since the pandemic took hold of the continent in mid-March.

The United States has been grappling with fresh COVID-19 outbreaks across the country in recent weeks.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 14, 2020.

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