Canada, U.S. to extend border restrictions by another 30 days

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canada and the United States will continue to limit non-essential travel between the two countries until at least July 21.

Despite mounting pressure from business interests and border communities, however, Trudeau is offering no clues about how the border restrictions will be eased when the time finally comes.

The 30-day restrictions were first imposed in March in the face of the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic, and have now been extended three times.

While the measures prohibit discretionary travel like vacations and shopping trips, essential workers, trade shipments and temporary foreign workers are still allowed to cross the border.

Communities near the Canada-U.S. border that depend on a steady flow of traffic and the ability to move between the two countries have been growing impatient as provinces and states alike continue to gradually restart their economies.

In the U.S., however, fears of a second wave of COVID-19 have been escalating in recent days as newly reopened states begin to see increases in their active caseloads and hospitalization rates.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 16, 2020.