Coronavirus: Americans first as Canada plans opening border to vaccinated foreign travellers
- Canada sets August 9 border opening for vaccinated US visitors, September 7 for other vaccinated foreigners
- Pressure has been rising on Canada’s government from the ailing tourism sector
Canada announced on Monday it will begin letting fully vaccinated US citizens into Canada on August 9, and those from the rest of the world on September 7.
Public Safety Minister Bill Blair, who said he spoke with US Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Friday, said the US has not yet indicated any plan to change current restrictions at the land border. Canadians are able to fly into the United States with a negative Covid-19 test.
Asked in Washington if the US would reciprocate, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said: “We are continuing to review our travel restrictions. Any decisions about resuming travel will be guided by our public health and medical experts. … I wouldn’t look at it through a reciprocal intention”.
Canadian officials also announced that children who are not vaccinated but are travelling with vaccinated parents will not have to quarantine, but will have to avoid group activities including schools and day care centres.
Transport Minister Omar Alghabra also said a ban on direct flights from India will be extended to August 21 because of the Delta variant. “The situation in India is still very serious,” he said.
EU celebrates coronavirus vaccine rate exceeding US programme
Canada leads G20 countries in vaccination rates, with around 80 per cent of eligible Canadians vaccinated with their first dose and over 50 per cent of those eligible fully vaccinated.
In the early days of the pandemic, the US and Canadian governments closed the border to non-essential traffic. With increasing vaccination rates and dropping infection rates, some were annoyed the two governments had not laid out plans to fully reopen the border.
Canada began easing its restrictions earlier this month, allowing fully vaccinated Canadians or permanent legal residents to return Canada without quarantining. But among the requirements are a negative test for the virus before returning, and another once they get back.
Pressure has been mounting on Canada to continue to ease the restrictions at the border, which have been in effect since March 2020. Providing exemptions for travel into Canada amid the pandemic is politically sensitive and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was expected to call a federal election next month.
The Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC), which had been lobbying for a reopening of the border for months, called the announcement “very welcome news”.
“The tourism economy is ready to welcome visitors back,” the group’s president and CEO Beth Potter said in a statement.
Canada bans flights from India and Pakistan amid growing wave in region
The US Travel Association estimates that each month the border is closed costs US$1.5 billion. Canadian officials say Canada had about 22 million foreign visitors in 2019 – about 15 million of them from the United States.
For some Canadian provinces, such as Quebec, US tourists make up a significant percentage of the total number of visitors. United Airlines said Monday it would add more flights from the US to Toronto and Vancouver from September.
Since February, only the airports in Calgary, Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver have received international flights. From August 9, airports in Edmonton, Halifax, Ottawa, Quebec City and Winnipeg will be authorised to receive such flights.
Additional reporting by Agence France-Presse
