Gone are the days when Canadians and Americans could freely drive across their shared border for a quick shopping trip or to visit family and friends.
Now, the Canada-U.S. land border that was once wide open is closed to non-essential travel, affecting the lives of many people on both sides.
Here’s the latest on what you need to know about Canada-U.S. border rules and why our neighbours to the south may not be visiting for a while.
When will the Canada-U.S. border reopen?
It came as no surprise to many people when the federal government announced last month that the Canada-U.S. land border — which closed on March 21 to non-essential traffic — would remain shut until at least Aug. 21.
Canadians can still fly to the U.S., but that rule isn’t reciprocal: Canada prohibits U.S. visitors from entering via all modes of transport.
Canada and the U.S. review their border closure agreement every 30 days. Several experts in different fields have told CBC News that they predict the border won’t reopen until sometime next year.
The main reason: COVID-19 cases are still surging in several U.S. states.
“It doesn’t seem to be getting any better in the U.S.,” said U.S. Immigration lawyer Len Saunders, whose office sits close to the Canadian border in Blaine, Wash. He believes the border could stay closed for another six months.
“There’s really no reason why the Canadian government, at this point, would want to open it up and subject Canadians to an increased rate of COVID infections.”
Len Saunders, an immigration lawyer in Blaine, Wash., predicts the Canada-U.S. border could stay shut for another six months. (Gabriel Osorio/CBC)
Many Canadians have also made it clear that they want the border to stay shut for now.
When Leger Marketing asked 1,500 Canadians last month if they thought the Canada-U.S. border should reopen at the end of July, 86 per cent of respondents said they were opposed to the idea.
In early July, 29 members of the U.S. Congress sent a joint letter to U.S. Homeland Security and the Canadian government. In it, they asked that both countries start working on a phased reopening of the border.
One member of Congress posted the letter on Twitter and was bombarded with angry comments from Canadians demanding the border stay shut. Some even suggested that Canada build a wall.
Given public opinion, economist Moshe Lander said it would be “political suicide” for Canadian politicians to contemplate reopening the border right now.
“As long as Canadians don’t feel safe, then why force open that border when there’s no strong political logic to doing it?” said Lander, a professor at Concordia University in Montreal.
He predicts a possible border reopening in middle to late 2021 — if there’s enough confidence at that point that the virus is under control.
What about separated families?
The federal government recently loosened its travel restrictions to allow Americans to visit immediate family in Canada, including dependent children, spouses and common-law partners.
To qualify as common-law, couples must have lived together for at least one year and prove it with documentation showing a shared address.
Some separated couples who don’t meet the criteria have opted to tie the knot.
Couples separated by a closed border can still meet — and marry — at a park at the Peace Arch border crossing between B.C. and Washington state. (Submitted by Len Saunders)
Lawyer Saunders said that at least two dozen of his clients — who are in cross-border relationships — have expedited their marriage plans so that they can reunite in Canada now.
Canadians can fly to the U.S. to get married, or both partners can travel to the Peace Arch border crossing between B.C. and Washington state.
That border crossing includes a neutral zone — a shared Canada-U.S. park. The Canadian section of the park is closed. However, Canadians can still enter the U.S. section of the park for the day to visit with their American partner — or even get married.
Saunders said that he has advised many inquiring cross-border couples that they can marry in the park, as long as they obtain a Washington state marriage licence and are wed by a Washington officiant.
“It’s totally legal to get married on the American side,” Saunders said. “A lot of people are taking advantage of that.”
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) said that when Canadians return from visiting the U.S. side of the park, they are required to self-quarantine for 14 days. It’s not known if people are actually complying.
Crackdown on Americans driving to Alaska
Americans are allowed to drive through Canada to Alaska for essential reasons, such as for work or to return home. However, they’re not to make unnecessary stops along the way.
In June, Alberta RCMP issued 10 fines of $1,200 to U.S. residents headed to Alaska who stopped in Banff National Park to see the sights.
On July 10, B.C. RCMP fined an American boat operator $1,000 for entering Canadian waters for a vacation.
“It was clear the persons on this vessel had misstated their intention to travel to Alaska and had entered Canada for the purposes of tourism,” said the RCMP in a statement.
This is the top part of the tag issued by Canada Border Services Agency that Americans driving through Canada to Alaska must hang from their car’s rear view mirror. (submitted by Canada Border Services agency)
To try to curb the problem, the CBSA introduced stricter rules on Friday for Americans driving to Alaska.
They must enter Canada through one of five designated border crossings and hang a CBSA-issued tag from their car’s rear view mirror that lays out the purpose and rules of their trip.
Before exiting Canada for Alaska, drivers must check in once again with the CBSA.
Even before the new rules took effect, it appears that Americans were getting the message. Alberta RCMP said no fines were issued to wayward U.S. drivers in July.
“It’s heartening,” said Alberta RCMP spokesperson Fraser Logan. “It’s just important that … you’re following the rules.”
WATCH | Why cross-border couples can still meet up at the Peace Arch border crossing:
EDMONTON – RCMP say a second suspect has been arrested in the killing of an Alberta county worker.
Mounties say 28-year-old Elijah Strawberry was taken into custody Friday at a house on O’Chiese First Nation.
Colin Hough, a worker with Rocky View County, was shot and killed while on the job on a rural road east of Calgary on Aug. 6.
Another man who worked for Fortis Alberta was shot and wounded, and RCMP said the suspects fled in a Rocky View County work truck.
Police later arrested Arthur Wayne Penner, 35, and charged him with first-degree murder and attempted murder, and a warrant was issued for Strawberry’s arrest.
RCMP also said there was a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Strawberry, describing him as armed and dangerous.
Chief Supt. Roberta McKale, told a news conference in Edmonton that officers had received tips and information over the last few weeks.
“I don’t know of many members that when were stopped, fuelling up our vehicles, we weren’t keeping an eye out, looking for him,” she said.
But officers had been investigating other cases when they found Strawberry.
“Our investigators were in O’Chiese First Nation at a residence on another matter and the major crimes unit was there working another file and ended up locating him hiding in the residence,” McKale said.
While an investigation is still underway, RCMP say they’re confident both suspects in the case are in police custody.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
RICHMOND, B.C. – The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says the 26-year-old son of a man found dead on British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast has been charged with his murder.
Police say 58-year-old Henry Doyle was found badly injured on a forest service road in Egmont last September and died of his injuries.
The homicide team took over when the BC Coroners Service said the man’s death was suspicious.
It says in a statement that the BC Prosecution Service has approved one count of first-degree murder against the man’s son, Jackson Doyle.
Police say the accused will remain in custody until at least his next court appearance.
The homicide team says investigators remained committed to solving the case with the help of the community of Egmont, the RCMP on the Sunshine Coast and in Richmond, and the Vancouver Police Department.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
VANCOUVER – Mediated talks between the union representing HandyDART workers in Metro Vancouver and its employer, Transdev, have broken off without an agreement following 15 hours of talks.
Joe McCann, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1724, says they stayed at the bargaining table with help from a mediator until 2 a.m. Friday and made “some progress.”
However, he says the union negotiators didn’t get an offer that they could recommend to the membership.
McCann says that in some ways they are close to an agreement, but in other areas they are “miles apart.”
About 600 employees of the door-to-door transit service for people who can’t navigate the conventional transit system have been on strike since last week, pausing service for all but essential medical trips.
McCann asks HandyDART users to be “patient,” since they are trying to get not only a fair contract for workers but also a better service for customers.
He says it’s unclear when the talks will resume, but he hopes next week at the latest.
The employer, Transdev, didn’t reply to an interview request before publication.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
