Canada, US travel ban extended to Oct. 21

The world’s longest border has been closed to nearly everything but goods trade since March 21, with the travel ban extended several times since then. Image: AFP/Lars Hagberg via AFP Relaxnews

Canada and the United States on Friday extended a ban on non-essential travel between their two countries to Oct. 21 in order to limit the spread of the new coronavirus, Ottawa announced.

The world’s longest border has been closed to nearly everything but goods trade since March 21, with the travel ban extended several times since then.

“We are extending non-essential travel restrictions with the United States until October 21st, 2020,” public safety minister Bill Blair said in a Twitter message. “We will continue to base our decisions on the best public health advice available to keep Canadians safe.”

We are extending non-essential travel restrictions with the United States until October 21st, 2020. We will continue to base our decisions on the best public health advice available to keep Canadians safe.

— Bill Blair (@BillBlair) September 18, 2020

Both Canada and the U.S. have seen an uptick in new COVID-19 cases in recent weeks.

Canada recorded almost 700 new cases on Friday while the U.S. reported 44,000. Nearly 200,000 people in the U.S. and more than 9,200 in Canada have died of COVID-19 illnesses.

Travel between Canada and the U.S., which usually sees 400,000 border crossings per day, has fallen off by 95% since the pandemic restrictions were put in place. JB

RELATED STORIES:

Countries affected by the coronavirus and the restrictions that apply

100% of the world is closed for travel business, says UNWTO