Canada and U.S. Extend COVID-19 Travel Restrictions Until At Least October 21

Canada and the United States have agreed to extend the temporary restriction of all non-essential travel across the Canada-U.S. border until October 21, 2020. It had previously been due to expire on September 21.

The ban covers non-essential travel. Essential healthcare workers, truck drivers transporting essential goods, temporary foreign workers and more continue to remain exempt.

A statement from Public Safety Canada said the Government of Canada’s top priority remains the health and safety of Canadians, and this extension will continue to protect people on both sides of the border while ensuring the flow of essential goods and services between the two countries. 

Public Safety Minister Bill Blair tweeted the announcement and added: “We will continue to base our decisions on the best public health advice available to keep Canadians safe.”

The Department of Homeland Security’s Chad Wolf confirmed the extension in a tweet: “We have agreed to extend the limitation of non-essential travel at our shared land ports of entry through October 21.”

Read the statement at Public Safety Canada

Kylie Bielby

Kylie Bielby has more than 20 years' experience in reporting and editing a wide range of security topics, covering geopolitical and policy analysis to international and country-specific trends and events. Before joining GTSC's Homeland Security Today staff, she was an editor and contributor for Jane's, and a columnist and managing editor for security and counter-terror publications.

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