US-Canada border closed for travel

Any hope that encouraging vaccine news might signal the lifting of US-Canada border restrictions was just quashed by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. On Tuesday, Trudeau said border restrictions on nonessential travel will remain in place until the COVID-19 outbreak was significantly under control around the world. The restrictions began in March, and have been renewed on a monthly basis ever since.

“Until the virus is significantly under more control everywhere around the world,” Trudeau said, according to Reuters. “We’re not going to be releasing the restrictions at the border. We are incredibly lucky that trade in essential goods, in agricultural products, in pharmaceuticals is flowing back and forth as it always has.”

The ban doesn’t impact trade between the US and Canada. Canada sends 75 percent of its exports to the US each month, and the two economies are closely linked.

Although Canada is facing its own second wave of COVID-19 right now, as is much of the world, the decision to keep borders closed is likely due to the current outbreak in the US, which is exponentially worse than what it was in the spring. Until the US manages to get its cases under control, or a significant portion of its population is vaccinated, the border is likely to remain closed.

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