The US has extended its restrictions on non-essential travel at land and ferry border crossings yet again, the first such extension since Canada welcomed vaccinated Americans back into the country earlier in the month. According to the US Department of Homeland Security, US borders will remain closed to most travellers until at least Sept. 21.
“To minimize the spread of (COVID-19), including the Delta variant, the United States is extending restrictions on non-essential travel at our land and ferry crossings with Canada and Mexico … while continuing to ensure the flow of essential trade and travel,” Homeland said in a tweet.
The restrictions, which have been in place since March 2020, were set to expire Saturday. The US does, however, allow Canadians to fly across the border for non-essential purposes.
The 17-month long ban on non-essential travel across the Canada-US border was eased by the Canadian government on Aug. 9, which now allows US citizens and permanent residents into the country, provided they’ve been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Eligible visitors to Canada must live in the US and have allowed 14 days to pass since receiving a full course of a Health Canada-approved vaccine. They are also required to show proof of a negative molecular test for COVID-19 that’s no more than 72 hours old and use the ArriveCAN app or online web portal to upload their vaccination details.
The lopsided policy has rankled observers on both sides of the border.
“This creates confusion for travellers when all our members repeatedly tell us they are seeking predictability. This also distracts from the efforts that should be put into developing interoperable digital health credentials,” said Mark Agnew, Sr. VP of policy with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce
New York Rep. Brian Higgins, meanwhile, has said the restriction “harms separated families and hurts opportunities for economic recovery.”
US Travel Association Executive VP of Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes concurred, stating, “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.
“For each month the status quo continues at the Canadian border, America’s No. 1 source market of inbound arrivals, the United States loses US $1.5 billion in potential travel exports, leaving countless American businesses vulnerable. 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 one million American jobs and $150 billion in export income last year alone.”