US-Canada border reopening update: Here’s what we know
Jane Frye
Jun 13, 2021
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There have been signs of life as of late when it comes to the border between the U.S. and Canada finally reopening after being closed for more than a year.
On June 9, the Canadian government announced it would be allowing fully vaccinated Canadian nationals and permanent residents to bypass the current mandatory hotel quarantine starting in July. Those eligible would, however, still be required to take a COVID-19 test upon entry and isolate until a negative test result is produced.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confirmed on Sunday at the G-7 Summit that he spoke with President Joe Biden about “coordinating measures at our borders as both our countries move ahead with mass vaccination,” Reuters reported, but still, no date for a border reopening between the U.S. and Canada has been announced.
Here’s what we know so far.
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What are the current border restrictions?
At this time, only Canadian citizens, permanent residents, people registered under Canada’s Indian Act, protected persons, select foreign nationals traveling for essential reasons and immediate family members of Canadian citizens or residents are allowed to enter Canada.
Certain extended family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada, in addition to individuals wishing to enter Canada for compassionate reasons, can also petition for access to enter Canada.
All travelers to Canada are required to take a PCR test upon arrival and pay for a three-day quarantine in a government-approved hotel while waiting for test results. If the traveler’s test returns a negative result, they will be able to finish their mandatory 14-day quarantine at home. If a traveler’s test comes back positive, they will be required to quarantine in designated government facilities.
The exception to this will be fully vaccinated citizens once a negative COVID-19 test result is produced, come July.
Essential workers such as health care professionals, delivery trucks and airline crew members are permitted to travel between countries.
In early February, Canada extended its ban on cruise ships, effectively closing the Canadian Arctic to boat-related tourism until 2022 and putting the entire Alaska cruise season in jeopardy.
Related: Canada extends border closure to the U.S. through June 2
When will the border reopen?
Currently, the border is closed until June 21. Although that date is fast approaching, the border closure has been pushed back on a near-monthly basis, so we’re still not holding our breath for a full opening on June 22.
During a conference this week, Trudeau said the government is looking at how it can “ease the rules, based on science,” and that additional announcements “regarding measures that may be eased” for those who have been fully vaccinated would be made “in the weeks to come,” further evidence that a June 22 open date is ambitious.
Trudeau has said that he would like to wait until at least 75% of Canadians are fully vaccinated before reopening the border, but he’s facing pressure from officials to reopen as soon as 75% of Canadians have received their first shot instead.
As of June 11, about 28 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered in Canada and more than 70% of the population ages 12 and older have received their first dose.
Who will be allowed into Canada once the border opens?
The border reopening will not likely happen all at once, but rather in a phased system, as proposed by the Canadian government and evidenced by the recent changes.
Allowing fully vaccinated Canadians to bypass quarantine with a negative COVID-19 test result is a step in the right direction, and hopefully fully vaccinated Americans will be next.
That said, given that fully vaccinated Canadians still must take a COVID-19 test upon entry, Americans planning to visit Canada once the border reopens should expect to jump through a few hoops before, such as taking a COVID-19 test.
In the U.S. as of June 12, 52% of Americans have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and 43% are fully vaccinated.
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