Despite Canada opening up its land border to Americans for non-essential travel as of August 9, the ... [+]
Despite Canada opening up its land border to Americans for non-essential travel as of August 9, the U.S. announced it will not relax border rules for Canadians until at least September 21. The U.S. land border with Canada has been closed for non-essential travel since March 2020. Originally the U.S. land border restrictions for non-essential were expected to end on August 21.
The U.S Department of Homeland Security stated that “Given the outbreak and continued transmission and spread of COVID-19 within the United States and globally, the Secretary has determined that the risk of continued transmission and spread of the virus associated with COVID-19 between the United States and Canada poses an ongoing “specific threat to human life or national interests.”
The decision was met with disappointment by many Canadians and Americans. In a statement, U.S. Travel Association Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes said that “Travel restrictions are no longer protecting us from the virus – vaccines are,” said U.S. Travel Association Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes. “Every day that our land borders remain closed delays America’s economic and jobs recovery, causing greater damage to the millions of people whose livelihoods depend on travel and tourism…For each month the status quo continues at the Canadian border, America’s No. 1 source market of inbound arrivals, the United States loses $1.5 billion in potential travel exports, leaving countless American businesses vulnerable.”
Despite Canada opening up its land border to Americans for non-essential travel as of August 9, the ... [+]
The document from the U.S Department of Homeland Security went on to note that “Given the sustained human-to-human transmission of the virus, coupled with risks posed by new variants, non-essential travel to the United States places the personnel staffing land ports of entry between the United States and Canada, as well as the individuals traveling through these ports of entry, at increased risk of exposure to the virus associated with COVID-19. Accordingly, and consistent with the authority granted in 19 U.S.C. 1318(b)(1)(C) and (b)(2),[9] I have determined that land ports of entry along the U.S.-Canada border will continue to suspend normal operations and will only allow processing for entry into the United States of those travelers engaged in “essential travel,” as defined below. Given the definition of “essential travel” below, this temporary alteration in land ports of entry operations should not interrupt legitimate trade between the two nations or disrupt critical supply chains that ensure food, fuel, medicine, and other critical materials reach individuals on both sides of the border.”
The document did emphasize that Canadians can still travel to the U.S. via plane. “At this time, this Notification does not apply to air, freight rail, or sea travel between the United States and Canada, but does apply to passenger rail, passenger ferry travel, and pleasure boat travel between the United States and Canada. These restrictions are temporary in nature and shall remain in effect until 11:59 p.m. EDT on September 21, 2021.”
Biden’s decision not to open the border comes at a time when Canadians are still reacting to other surprising travel news that the Canadian government will soon implement mandatory vaccine requirements for domestic travel on planes and trains.
