Coronavirus: Canada shutting borders to non-citizens and non-residents in dramatic escalation of pandemic fight
- US citizens will be exempted from the ban, says Prime Minister Justin Trudeau – but British Columbia’s health minister tells Americans to stay away
- Trudeau tells Canadians not to go out, as Toronto orders bars and restaurants to close tonight
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced that the country is closing its borders to travellers who are not citizens or permanent residents, in a dramatic escalation on Monday of the government's fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
“These measures will help save lives,” he said, telling Canadians they should not go out and should simply “stay home”, as Toronto’s medical chief ordered bars and restaurants to close.
US citizens are exempted from the border ban on foreigners, for now, Trudeau said. Other exemptions will apply to diplomats, aircrew and some others, including the immediate family members of Canadians.
“The level of integration of our two countries … puts the US in a separate category to the rest of the world,” the prime minister said.
But some said the measures announced by Trudeau did not go far enough.