Prime Minister Justin Trudeau unveiled on Tuesday morning that the border between Canada and the United States will continue to limit non-essential travel between the two countries for an additional 30 days.
Trudeau announced the news during his routine press conference outside of Rideau Cottage in Ottawa, saying the mutual border closure has been extended until at least July 21.
“This is an important decision that will keep people in both of our countries safe,” said Trudeau.
Despite mounting pressure from business interests and border communities, Trudeau is offering no clues about how the border restrictions will be eased when the time finally comes.
The 30-day restrictions were first imposed back in March in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19 and have now been extended three times over the course of the pandemic.
While the measures prohibit discretionary travel like vacations and shopping trips, essential workers, trade shipments and temporary foreign workers are still allowed to cross the border.
Communities near the Canada-U.S. border that depend on a steady flow of traffic and the ability to move between the two countries have been growing impatient as provinces and states alike continue to gradually restart their economies.
With the border being shut down, some Canadians have been separated from loved ones and unable to visit. That sparked Trudeau to issue a limited exemption on June 8, which enabled immediate family members of citizens or permanent residents to come to Canada.
The conditions currently in place require anyone who decides to visit a family member in Canada to quarantine for 14 days.
Meanwhile down in the U.S., fears of a second wave of COVID-19 have been escalating in recent days as newly reopened states begin to see increases in their active caseloads and hospitalization rates.
More information regarding the border closures can be found on the Canada Border Services Agency website.
Trudeau also revealed on Tuesday that the Canada Emergency Response Benefit was being extended by eight weeks.
With files to the Canadian Press
Graham Cox
