Canada, US to extend travel ban through June 21

OTTAWA/WASHINGTON: On Wednesday, the United States and Canada took a strong decision of non-essential travel restriction until June 21 amid growing novel coronavirus pandemic, two Canadian government sources and a US official in Washington said.

On April 18, the two neighbors had decided to extend ban on border until May 21 as cases reported of COVID-19 rise in both nations. Canada is now pressing for the measures to stay in place for another month.

The chief Canadian public health officer on Tuesday said that the US exposed a great risk to Canada as the cases in US are increasing steadily.

The sources requested anonymity given the sensitivity of the situation. News firstly reported by the Globe and Mail newspaper was the Canadian request for a 30-day extension.

The concurrence based on allowing the steam of goods across a border which stretches 8,891 km (5,525 miles) and is a crossing point for one of the world’s largest bilateral trading relationships.

The US takes 75% of all Canadian goods exports.

On Tuesday, Justin Trudeau- prime minister of Canada said the country was “looking at stronger measures” to control coronavirus was not being spread by border crossers, but gave no details.

Ontario and Quebec; the Canadian provinces, are too nearby to the state of New York which is unfortunately one of the US epicenters of the disease. officials from Canada have been continuously pressed about the potential risk posed by arriving truck drivers.