On March 18th, 2020, President Donald Trump on twitter announced that the Canada-U.S. border will be closed to non-essential traffic as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The U.S.-Canada land border supports over $2.4 billion dollars in daily trade.
We will be, by mutual consent, temporarily closing our Northern Border with Canada to non-essential traffic. Trade will not be affected. Details to follow!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 18, 2020
Today, Prime Minister Trudeau and Public Safety Minister Bill Blair confirmed that the US-Canada Border will close to non-essential travel from 11:59 pm of Friday, March 2020.
WHAT IS RESTRICTED DURING US-CANADA BORDER RESTRICTIONS
US – Canada Border temporary restrictions will be in place for 30 days from March 21, 2020, at which point it will be reviewed by both countries.
According to the Department of Homeland Security and Public Safety Canada during U.S.-Canada Border Closure for Non-Essential Purposes, the Border will be:
- Open for trade and commerce – Supply chains, including trucking, will not be impacted by this new measure.
- Open – Americans and Canadians also cross the land border every day to do essential work or for other urgent or essential reasons, and that travel will not be impacted.
- Closed – for “Non-essential” travel includes travel that is considered tourism or recreational in nature.