Canada aiming to allow vaccinated Americans into country by mid-August: PM to premiers

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government is aiming to allow fully vaccinated U.S. citizens and permanent residents into Canada by mid-August.

Trudeau also says he told the premiers by phone that if the current vaccination rate remains on its current trajectory, fully vaccinated travellers from around the world could be arriving by early September.

The Prime Minister’s Office broke the news in a readout from today’s COVID-19 call with the premiers and Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc.

“The prime minister noted that, if our current positive path of vaccination rate and public health conditions continue, Canada would be in a position to welcome fully vaccinated travellers from all countries by early September,” it reads.

“He noted the ongoing discussions with the United States on reopening plans, and indicated that we could expect to start allowing fully vaccinated U.S. citizens and permanent residents into Canada as of mid-August for non-essential travel.”

NEW: Prime Minister @JustinTrudeau tells Premiers if we stay on our current vaccination paths Canada could start allowing non-essential travel with the US for fully vaccinated people by mid-August and fully vaxxed travellers from all other countries by early September #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/KVi67mkQOU

— Cormac Mac Sweeney (@cmaconthehill) July 16, 2021

New York’s Rep. Brian Higgins, who led the charge against travel restrictions at the Canada-U.S. border, calls it welcome news for people who live near the border, for whom crossing back and forth has long been a way of life.

“The finish line is finally in sight for people who have been separated from their families and properties for way too long,” Higgins said in a statement.

“For Americans and Canadians who live along the border and frequently cross as a way of life, action lifting restrictions for those vaccinated can’t come soon enough.”

Trudeau also boasted Canada is leading the G20 countries in vaccination rates, with 80 per cent of eligible Canadians having received at least one vaccine dose. More than half are fully vaccinated, Trudeau said.

Pressure has been mounting on the federal government to continue to ease the restrictions at the border, which have been in effect since March of last year.

But as Trudeau is widely believed to be on his way to triggering a federal election campaign, the timing of reopening the border could be a factor in his thinking.

The reopening process has already begun: last week, the Canada Border Services Agency began exempting fully vaccinated Canadian citizens and permanent residents from a 14-day quarantine requirement.

The restrictions, imposed by mutual agreement in March of last year as the pandemic began to hit hard, have been renewed on a monthly basis ever since. They are next set to expire on Wednesday.

“The prime minister indicated that ministers would share more details on these plans early next week,” the readout says.

It also says the first ministers expressed support for reopening, provided the process is accompanied by “clarity and predictability.”

They also discussed working “collaboratively” on some sort of vaccine credential and system to “enable Canadians to travel internationally with confidence.”