The closure of the land border between Canada and the U.S. for non-essential travel has been extended for at least another 30 days.
During a press conference on Tuesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday the restriction will now last until at least Feb. 21.
The border has been closed since March 2020 – at the onset of the global pandemic – in order to help limit the spread of COVID-19 in North America.
“This is an important decision and one that will keep people on both sides of the border safe,” Trudeau said on Tuesday.
“Things are really tough right now and we all want this pandemic to be behind us.”
The travel ban doesn’t apply to essential travellers and the movement of essential goods and services, which includes hospital workers.
“What will define this pandemic isn’t what we couldn’t do — it’s what we could do, and what we did,” added Trudeau in regards to the border closure.
The prime minister noted it is the small sacrifices are what can make a difference during the ongoing pandemic.
Also on Tuesday, Justin Trudeau said that Canada had secured 20 million more doses of the Pfizer vaccine.
He believes that any Canadian who wants to be vaccinated, while have an opportunity by September 2021.
Graham Cox
