Unclear when Canadians can visit U.S.
The announcement on Monday that Canada was opening its border to American visitors next month came as welcome news to local officials, but they were left wondering why the Americans have said nothing about when Canadians might be permitted to cross in the opposite direction.
“I'm really surprised it was not reciprocal,” Mayor Drew Dilkens said of Ottawa's announcement.
Since March 2020, when the border between the two countries was closed to almost everything but essential travel and commerce, both countries have jointly announced any new tightening or loosening of border rules.
Not this time. On Monday, Ottawa said Canada would begin welcoming all American visitors at its land border crossings as of Aug. 9, subject to those individuals being fully vaccinated and showing proof of a negative pre-entry COVID-19 test.
“We were all a bit surprised at this unilateral announcement,” said local MP Brian Masse (NDP — Windsor West). In response to questions following the Liberal government's announcement, both the White House and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said they had nothing new to announce.
“Not being able to answer where the U.S. is on this is quite shocking,” said Masse, who belongs to a Canada-u.s. interparliamentary group of federal legislators.
The decision of Canada to go it alone has triggered speculation. Masse wonders whether it was a political move by the Liberals to be shown to be doing something on the border file ahead of a possible fall election. Dilkens said the Americans probably still have other challenges to consider in tandem, including their southern border with Mexico and international air travel restrictions.
MP Irek Kusmierczyk (L — Windsor-tecumseh) said his government's decision is simply recognition that the pandemic fight in each country has taken different paths — and Canada's path looks brighter.
“Our situation in Canada is drastically different than in the U.S. We're trending in the right direction,” he said. With the spread of more virulent coronavirus variants leading to disturbing COVID-19 case count hikes in some states and regions, “they're dealing with challenges, pressures on their health-care system and (outbreak) spikes,” said Kusmierczyk.
Canada recently overtook the U.S. in percentage of population vaccinated, even though the U.S. boasts its own manufacturing facilities for the approved vaccines. As of Monday, over 70 per cent of Canadians had received at least one dose while 51 per cent — 19 million people — were fully vaccinated.
Making American visitors preregister online and requiring them to get a pre-crossing test is “admittedly an obstacle, and there's a cost to that,” said Kusmierczyk, but it's “part of our careful and cautious plan” to phase in the reopening of the border.
“It's not perfect, and there are some people who can't cross the border, but it's a next step ... it's good for local businesses that some traffic is coming back,” said Dilkens.
“I think it will be an improvement,” said Masse. “But by no means is it a return to normal.”
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer greeted Canada's announcement on Monday as the “potential to be terrific news” and tweeted that his country “must now follow suit.” Schumer, a New York senator, has been pushing for months for a binational plan to reopen the Canada-u.s. border, describing as “mind-boggling ” the fact fully vaccinated New Yorkers could fly to Europe “but not drive a few miles to Canada.”
Both countries are expected to announce on Wednesday a renewal and extension of the ongoing order-in-council and joint agreement regarding the special pandemic measures governing the shared border.
If current positive trends continue, Ottawa announced next month's border opening for U.S. recreational travellers will expand to include other international air travel on Sept. 7.
Windsor has already been lobbying the federal Liberals to permit the reopening of its airport to international travel at that time.
The federal government also announced that, as of Aug. 9, five additional airports will be permitted to receive international flights — Ottawa, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Quebec City and Halifax — in addition to the current four: Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary. Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said Monday his department is “prepared to work with other airports interested in re-establishing international flights.”
Dilkens on Tuesday told the Star Windsor was already out of the starting gate on that, having written the minister earlier this month on the need for his city to get back to offering sun destination routes this coming winter.
“We're expecting more good news in September,” said Dilkens. YQG is so hopeful that the mayor said one of the airlines that offered service from Windsor to the Caribbean before the pandemic is already planning to resume those flights later this year.
A “major concern,” said Dilkens, is the threat against such business should such international flights be grounded in Windsor at the same time as the U.S. opens up its land border crossings and Canadian sun seekers start booking flights out of American airports.