Coronavirus (COVID-19) Alert

Canada-U.S. border closure extended another 30 days

Toronto, December 21, 2020

The Canada-U.S. border closure has once again been extended, to non-essential travel, for another 30 days and is now set to expire on January 21, 2021.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said "It will be a real shame to open things too quickly and see vulnerabilities, so I'm going to be very, very cautious when it comes to keeping Canadians safe, even if there's lots of pressure to allow international travel again,".  On December 1, Trudeau said the ban on nonessential travel with the United States will not be lifted until COVID-19 is significantly more under control around the world.

Supply chains, including trucking, are not impacted by this measure and the movement of commercial goods across the border is unaffected.  "Non-essential" travel pertains to travel that is considered tourism or recreational in nature.

On March 26, 2020, the Government of Canada put in place mandatory 14-day self-isolation for all persons entering Canada, even if they do not have COVID-19 symptoms.  This 14-day self-isolation does not pertain to trans-border truck drivers, the full exceptions are:

Exceptions
Consequently, an exception to the order to self-isolate for 14 days is being provided to workers who are essential to the movement of goods and people.  For example, this exemption would apply to:

• healthy workers in the trade and transportation sector who are important for the movement of goods and people across the border, such as truck drivers and crew on any plane, train or marine vessel crossing the border; or
• healthy people who have to cross the border to go to work, including health care providers and critical infrastructure workers.

For more information, please call Brian Rowe, Director – Customs Compliance & Regulatory Affairs at (905) 882-4880, ext. 1213.