Travel restrictions at the Canada-U.S. border will remain in place for at least another month, until July 21, which Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says are needed to prevent another wave of COVID-19.
The measures at the border to restriction non-essential international travel have been in place since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.
Pressure to relax the restrictions has been building from businesses on both sides of the border, and increasingly from American lawmakers as vaccination rates climb in Canada.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Friday that it would take 75 per cent of Canadians getting a first dose and 20 per cent receiving a second before rules can be loosened because even a fully vaccinated individual can pass COVID-19 to someone who is not vaccinated.
To those thresholds Trudeau has previously added the caveat that the outbreak needs to be at a stage where minor flare-ups can be handled without risk of spreading more broadly.
Speaking from his Ottawa residence, where he is isolating after a trip to the U.K. to meet with leaders from G7 nations, Trudeau said he spoke with premiers about the future of the border during a call with them Thursday night.
"There is a tremendous focus on making sure we're working together to do this as quickly and safely as possible because we all want to get back to normal, which means yes, moving quickly, but it also means avoiding any further massive waves," Trudeau said.
The decision garnered immediate criticism from some American lawmakers, including the two Congressmen who co-chair the Canada-U.S. Interparliamentary Group.
Western New York Democrat Brian Higgins and Michigan Republican Bill Huizenga decried the lack of transparency around the border talks as a disservice to residents on both sides of the border to see loved ones and renew business ties.
"While the arrival of vaccines in record time has been a modern marvel, the inability of the U.S. and Canadian governments to reach an agreement on alleviating border restrictions or aligning additional essential traveler classes is simply unacceptable," said the statement from duo.
Public Safety Minister Bill Blair in a tweet said the government will unveil details Monday about plans to let fully vaccinated Canadians and permanent residents enter the country.
As we have said, the government is planning measures for fully vaccinated Canadians, Permanent Residents, and others who are currently permitted to enter Canada and will provide further details on Monday, June 21.
— Bill Blair (@BillBlair) June 18, 2021
Trudeau said Friday that the government plans in the short-term to have Canadians upload proof of vaccination to the ArriveCan app so border agents can verify they are fully vaccinated.
For the fall and beyond, Trudeau said the federal government is working with provinces on a way to automatically share vaccination status that could then be easily accepted around the world.
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