Currently the US-Canada border is closed to non-essential travel. Who is allowed to travel isn’t always clear.
Restrictions were put in place back in March for a month, as SARS-CoV-2 took off, and limits have been extended since then. Even the Islamic State (ISIS) ceaed non-essential business travel at the time.
Currently the border closure lasts through June 21, though Canada has loosened restrictions somewhat to allow family members of citizens and permanent residents to return starting today.
However the ban is expected to be extended by both the U.S. and Canada into late July, according to sources on both sides of the border.
“It’s going to be a clean rollover” on June 21, said a U.S. source who requested anonymity given the sensitivity of the situation. “We will want to look at it again in July.”
…Several provinces have clamped down on travel within Canada, and a third Canadian source said these inter-provincial restrictions would make it hard to lift the ban on non-essential travel with the United States.
There’s little benefit to the U.S. from limiting travel from Canada, even though the virus continues to spread in Canada’s largest cities, because it already continues to spread in the States. However parts of Canada aren’t experiencing significant virus spread, so there are naturally factions up north very concerned about importing the virus from the U.S. And for international diplomacy it looks better, and makes both sides look strong, if the extension appears mutual.
It’s a good thing that the offer to get paid to stay in Vancouver runs through
The problem is the sheep white canadians who pretend to be welcoming, diverse and kind but are just privileged POS who care only about themselves
This closure has decimated the life of many here in vancouver but they don’t care
Will leave here as soon as can
“ And for international diplomacy it looks better, and makes both sides look strong, if the extension appears mutual.”
Let’s not make up sh!t. “We” haven’t cared about that in the last 3 1/2 years.
So I can assume Mexico will follow suit and be closed as well to non-essential travel? I have a trip planned July 7-14 , I guess that’s not happening
Yes, please fill in on Mexico. I am a resident (temporary visa) and I can’t even return to my home nor my husband (permanent Visa) who flew back there in March, pre-lockdown, while I am stuck in the US. There are roadblocks on the highway outside of the airport enroute to my home and word is that IDs are being checked.
@allen
Most likely and hopefully you will
Its the canadian assholes that want the border closed
Mexico wants the US tourists
@Doug
Your comments are a bit extreme, but, honestly, not invalid.
I’ve noticed a very heavy dose of hypocrisy from Canadians on this.
They are the first ones to come to the US, buy goods, and cross the boarder without declaring anything.
And they love to talk up their health care system and all that.
But, you sure do hear a lot of xenophobia from them, especially when they had the reputation of being open and welcoming.
I’ve been unimpressed with Canada during all of this as well – just seem very two faced, very insular, very stand offish.
Americans – at least you know where we stand, like it or not.
Canada… you don’t know anymore, and it makes them hard to trust or do business with.
@george
You are correct
You can not trust any canadian
I am a US citizen living in vancouver for 9 years
Canada is a great country, great society as a whole and it is extremely safe and beautiful
That said, the individual canadian has no soul, they are the least friendly folks around and they do not care about others although they pretend to do
These comments are of course about the white privileged canadians not the hard working chinese, indian and others
I will leave here soon, it’s not worth it to leave among these folks
So, you really think it’s a Canadian character flaw not to want a wave of Covid-19 infected Americans to cross the border into their country? The United States tracks at 16,000 + new infections/day….and God knows how high the untracked numbers are.
Why would Canada ever consider opening the border until the virus is better contained in the US? It was only a few months ago that Donald Trump tried to close the US border with Mexico because “”tremendous infectious disease is pouring across the border”.
I disagree in the strongest terms with all the negativity toward Canadians. I have driven through Canada many times and found the typical Canadian to be kind and welcoming almost without exception. The US response to COVID19 has been a disaster on the federal level and in many of the states where governors are making decisions based on ideology instead of science. I don’t blame Canada for wanting to keep us out until this situation is resolved. It sucks for Americans like me who prefer to travel north for the summer but I can’t blame them. Heck, Alaska doesn’t even want to let US citizens from other states in.
Doug and George,
I agree with your both statements. I have US and Canadian citizenship with current homes in NYC and in Toronto. Both your statements are absolutely correct. Any others life Tim L or Jaymar01 who will want to state otherwise, unless you have a home in both countries and have been continuously living there like I have, will I only be open to hearing your opinions.
@jaymar
The economic consequences from the border closure will cause more damage than the virus if the border is open, including more indirect health issues, but of course it is good optics to close the border due to pressure from the people, but that subject has been discussed and put aside by those who do not agree
@Tim L
Canadians are very nice when they want your money
This is insane. Hello to destroying CDN and US airlines due to a former part-time drama teacher with a pea brain Justine Trudope and Chubbs Ford. Businesses and airlines will be slaughtered. Jobs lost while the world goes on, Kanadastan reminds me of how inept kanadastan really is. Face it. Kanada is nothing without the US. Most flights are to the US. Destroying millions of lives while the Wuhan virus pales in comparison. Send China the bill and tell Trudope to stop allowing Chinese carriers in. Butt kisser.
This is land border only. Canadians can still fly to the US (albeit flights are very limited since Americans cant fly or drive in)
Sorry America, you are diseased. Glad Canada is keeping you out (as should most of the world)
with the recent all out protests and the virus being nowhere contained, what fool from abroad would want to go to america at the moment?
Why not just close the border all together? permanently…………..
@Bob – damn right! we are diseased, politically, morally and spiritually….
@George, just to educate you, it is not that Canadians are “being, very insular, very stand offish” as you say, but at present, the way to save lives and prevent infection is staying at least 6 feet apart and avoid gatherings.
We need to work together and stay apart until their is either a vaccine or the infection rates are extremely low. We are unfortunately not there yet.
I’m canadian and I have had my dad die in Canada through this pandemic. My frustration is that I can’t get back to Canada due to the dracronian quarantine required. No walks no exercise outside. Basically worse than prison….can’t rent cars. Can’t go to grocery store. Nothing. I’m an active guy and very outdoorsy. I’ve suffered panic attacks and anxiety from being cooped up in the house as it is…..this quarantine would mentally break me. I’m frustrated that testing within 48 hours of travel or testing on arrival won’t suspend the 14 day quarantine. This is how we get tourism started up but it’s just the Canadian government being scared and not thinking on how to get life started again. (This isn’t Ebola people. It’s a CFR virus of 0.3%. Most serological studies around the world have come to this figure).
So I guess the “Get Paid To Stay In Vancouver This Summer” scheme is only good for 45 days, not a full summer! And even that could be changed by late July – stay tuned!
We have our annual fishing trip planned to Ontario at the end of July. We would be driving up from Florida. We are in our 80’s. Not much time left to do this. I guess it will be canceled now. We are so disappointed!
For business purposes, I have spent easily a year in Canada and I truly like the people. Everyone has been helpful and friendly. As an aside, an emergency health issue resulted in my having life saving surgery in Vancouver. The health car system was great and my U.S. doctor noted that the bills I got from the hospital and surgeon were 1/20th what the cost would have been in Raleigh, NC.
@ Doug – Time for you to return to the U.S. when you can. I wonder what your neighbours and
co-workers think of you.
@ George – To paint all Canadians (or any nationalities) with a broad brush is indicative of a lack of insight and knowledge.
@ Gavin – I have both Canadian and American citizenship with properties in both countries which means I fit into your remarkably narrow criteria. How interesting that you both read and agreed with statements of @ George who does not fit into your criteria. As for @ Doug’s inflammatory statements it is best to ignore them. Generalizations about both Canadians and Americans are absurd and only result in reinforcing stereotypes. Travelling is supposed to open our minds so it is ironic that such negative and divisive comments are on this forum.
Jane, we can take our discussions privately and Gary has my full permission to disclose my email to you. Please respond. I look forward to hearing from you.
Gavin
@Doug – I am assuming a travel blog is not the only place you bitch about wanting to leave Canada, but you have made good use of this one for some time. Smoke some good Canadian weed and mellow out. I’m sure there will still be a Confederate flag you can wrap yourself in when you do make it back to calm and peaceful America.
@steven
Yes, because that is what a jew from new york who grew up in argentina and israel does, wave the confederate flag…
You may or may not agree with my portrayal of white canadians, many do, but making assumptions like you did, does not make you look smart
@Doug – Fella, you aren’t smoking pot properly; you need to inhale. I’m guessing there is no one special in your life as you seem tied to a computer. But try stepping away from it after lighting up. Also, Fox news should be off to help sooth your mind. And then, once all your inhibitions are gone, sneak over the border back to the Motherland.
@steven
Fella, actually happily married with 2 kids
No cable tv, so no fox news
Sorry
You should have read my entire post in which I praise canadian society as a whole, but somehow you think i am some kind of right wing nut…
Go figure…
@Doug – Wow. The world knows more about you from this one story than we probably need to. If it’s true that is. Whatever, I’m done. Hopefully you will find happiness once you can figure a way to get out of Canada. And yep, you’re a nut.