Exclusive: Canada, U.S. set to extend border closure to end-July - sources

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Exclusive: Canada, U.S. set to extend border closure to end-July - sources

By David Ljunggren and Steve Scherer

 

FILE PHOTO: The U.S.-Canada border crossing is seen amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Lacolle, Quebec, Canada April 17, 2020. REUTERS/Christinne Muschi/File Photo

 

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada and the United States are set to extend a ban on non-essential travel to late July as both countries seek to control the spread of the coronavirus, according to three sources familiar with the matter.

 

Washington and Ottawa introduced month-long restrictions in March and renewed them in April and May. The ban, currently due to expire on June 21, does not affect trade.

 

Canadian and U.S. sources said although the governments had not yet taken a final decision, a further extension was highly likely.

 

"It's going to be a clean rollover" on June 21, said a U.S. source who requested anonymity given the sensitivity of the situation. "We will want to look at it again in July."

 

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security was not immediately available for comment.

 

Data show that while the outbreak is slowing across the 10 Canadian provinces, new cases show little sign of abating in Toronto and Montreal, the country's two largest cities.

 

A majority of provinces have privately told Ottawa they are reluctant to resume non-essential travel, said a second source.

 

Several provinces have clamped down on travel within Canada, and a third Canadian source said these inter-provincial restrictions would make it hard to lift the ban on non-essential travel with the United States.

 

More than 110,000 people have died of the coronavirus in the United States, one of the world's worst-hit nations. Canada reported 7,835 deaths, and 96,244 coronavirus cases on June 9.

 

A spokeswoman for Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, who has overall responsibility for ties with the United States, said both sides agreed the ban had worked well.

 

Extending the measures would hurt Canadian airlines and the tourism industry.

 

Carriers, including Air Canada <AC.TO>, have been among the worst hit as travel bans resulted in thousands of flight cancellations, forcing carriers to cut jobs and costs.

 

"There is a push from some sectors for reopening (the border), like Air Canada," a Canadian government source said.

 

Asked about reopening the border, Air Canada said in a statement that governments around the world are relaxing restrictions and said it was working with tourism and industry groups to "streamline and clarify rules around travel".

 

(Additional reporting by Ted Hesson in Washington and Allison Lampert in Montreal)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-06-10

 

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[pegman]

Most Canadians are still  perturbed that it took so long to close the USA border in the first place. Most of the cases in Toronto and Montreal were  spread from people that had returned from places like Florida. It was stupid to let people go down there for spring break and return with the virus. My area with 1.4m  population has had 7 deaths and 390 confirmed cases.  A great job with done by all and we don't want to blow that record by reopening the border. Reevaluate it in the new year as far as I'm concerned. 

[J Town]

Not sure Canada wants to reopen period.

[Stargeezr]

With all the protests, no masks no distancing, and did all these people

get a virus test after their foolish behavior,  No.  I hope that the attitude

in America changes soon, or they can stay in their own ountry until

next Spring.

Geezer

[pegman]

12 hours ago, J Town said:

Not sure Canada wants to reopen period.

We are about as sure as we can be. Keep the border closed. My province has no one in hospital for COVID right now and we want it kept that way. 

[Paul Henry]

No problems ask Potus USA is doing more testing than any other country. Remember Potus says there are many per capita meanings but he has them all under control.Justin I am sure will be guided by the stable genius on when to open the border.

[johnpetersen]

On the one hand, the US wants to keep Canadians out for fear of Covid19 transmission.

On the other, President Trump wants to state mass campaign rallies.

Anybody besides me see some disconnect here?

[bobbin]

1 hour ago, johnpetersen said:

On the one hand, the US wants to keep Canadians out for fear of Covid19 transmission.

On the other, President Trump wants to state mass campaign rallies.

Anybody besides me see some disconnect here?

It's not the US that wants to keep Canadians out. It's Canada that wants to keep Americans out.

 

Trump? You think he cares about the health of Americans? Not when he knows that his rallies attract his base, allowing him to bask in the Love!

[unblocktheplanet]

Keep those 'freedom-loving' crazies south of the border, please!

[felicialee]

The United States is an open and free country, and there is no need to extend the ban to control the spread of the epidemic. The epidemic in the United States can no longer be controlled. This is due to their failure to take timely control measures. And now all the bans are useless.

[from the home of CC]

On 6/10/2020 at 10:12 AM, pegman said:

Most Canadians are still  perturbed that it took so long to close the USA border in the first place. Most of the cases in Toronto and Montreal were  spread from people that had returned from places like Florida. It was stupid to let people go down there for spring break and return with the virus. My area with 1.4m  population has had 7 deaths and 390 confirmed cases.  A great job with done by all and we don't want to blow that record by reopening the border. Reevaluate it in the new year as far as I'm concerned. 

and given the protest that just occurred on both sides and  with infections to rise dramatically, I don't see that border opening up anytime soon if they have learned anything..

[Ron jeremy]

In the last day or 2 there has been a drastic rise in cases in the US. Canada has been doing very very well, cases going down rapidly, most provinces almost non existent. It would be suicide to open the border. 

The US has mismanaged the virus on a scale unknown anywhere in the world.

[TeaMonkey]

4 minutes ago, Ron jeremy said:

In the last day or 2 there has been a drastic rise in cases in the US. 

I don’t see this in the charts

[Ron jeremy]

14 minutes ago, TeaMonkey said:

I don’t see this in the charts

Yes, more than a dozen states are showing new highs in cases a few weeks after lifting restrictions. 

[TheDark]

Finally there is a virtual wall for the USA. 

 

Trump already made the wall surrounding his bunker.. er, the Whitehouse, which will keep lesser people away from him. 

 

Things are going to the plan. The wall has been erected. 

 

I guess nobody told Mr Trump that his wall became also his own prison.