The United States announced that it is extending travel restrictions at the Canadian border for at least another month.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) tweeted Friday morning that the U.S. is extending restrictions on non-essential travel at their land and ferry crossing with Canada and Mexico through Sept. 21.
The current restrictions were due to expire on Saturday, August 21.
Travel restrictions at land ports of entry between the United States and Canada were first implemented in March 2020. On August 9, 2021, Canada reopened the border to allow vaccinated Americans to enter. The United States has not reciprocated to allow Canadians to cross the border into the U.S.
“This is devastating news for land border #DutyFree stores in Canada that depend on tourism and traffic crossing into the U.S.,” tweeted the FDFA in response.
Reaction to U.S. extension of travel restrictions for non-essential traffic at land border with Canada
Reaction critical of the U.S. decision to extend the land border travel restrictions with Canada and Mexico was swift.
U.S. Congressman Brain Higgins (NY – 26) who serves as co-chair of both the Northern Border Caucus and the Canada-U.S. Interparliamentary Group released the following statement in response:
“The U.S. – Canada relationship is integral for our economies and life-quality. The failure to make opening the border the priority that it should be is a huge mistake. There has not been enough atten-tion placed on the value and oppor-tunity that comes with restoring connections between our two nations. It is beyond disappointing; it is hurtful both at a human and economic level.”
The U.S. Travel Association also responded.
“Travel restrictions are no longer protecting us from the virus – vaccines are. 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,” said Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes in a statement.
“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,” she continued.
“Entry restrictions were urgently needed before effective COVID-19 vaccines were widely available, but these shutdowns carried a steep price – the loss of more than 1 million American jobs and $150 billion in export income last year alone.”
