by Jim Byers
Last updated: 12:18 PM ET, Wed July 21, 2021
The Biden administration today said the U.S.-Canada land border will remain closed to all but essential travel until at least Aug. 21.
In a notice published in the U.S. Federal Register, the U.S. government said that, while vaccination rates in the U.S. have improved, opening the land border with Canada to non-essential travel is simply too risky at this point
"Given the outbreak and continued transmission and spread of COVID-19 within the United States and globally, the Secretary has determined that the risk of continued transmission and spread of the virus associated with COVID-19 between the United States and Canada poses an ongoing specific threat to human life or national interests," the government note said.
The previous border closure agreement was set to expire today (July 21).
"ACTA is disappointed that the United States has decided to continue its land border closure until August 21, even to fully vaccinated Canadians," ACTA president Wendy Paradis said in a statement.
"American leaders across political parties have called for months for Canada to open its border. And yet, despite Canadians having a higher vaccination rate and substantially lower transmission of COVID-19, they have refused to reciprocate and follow a science-based plan to safely open their border and support traveller mobility and an ailing travel and tourism sector."
Congressman Brian Higgins of upstate New York said he was "infuriated" by the news.
"For months now people and businesses along the border have been strung along month after month holding out hope for the border to reopen. Today's decision by the Biden administration harms economic recovery and hurts families all across America's northern border; this is completely unnecessary.
"While the United States does nothing, loved ones remain separated and communities whose economies rely on the cross-border exchange continue to suffer economically. Continuation of this shutdown is illogical given the success of vaccines and counterproductive putting the United States at a disadvantage given Canada's decision to welcome back vaccinated Americans effective August 9th."
Canada, which has a considerably higher vaccination rate than the U.S. will open its borders to fully vaccinated American visitors and permanent U.S. residents on August 9. They will no longer have to quarantine upon arrival, and COVID-19 tests will be randomly assigned, instead of mandatory for all visitors.
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