Canada-U.S. border closure extended for seventh time

Canada is rolling over travel restrictions for another month.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has confirmed via Twitter that the Canada-U.S. border will be closed to non-essential travel until November 21.

Travellers seeking entry into Canada from the U.S. will be turned away at the border if they are coming for tourism, shopping, or entertainment.

Essential travel includes trade shipments through railways, truckers transporting essential goods, as well as people crossing the border to carry out essential work.

Canadian citizens and permanent residents in the U.S. and their immediate family members are also allowed to cross the border.

Immediate family members include spouses, common law partners, children, parents or step-parents, legal guardians and tutors.

Earlier this month, Canada eased travel restrictions on extended family members, students, and people travelling to Canada for compassionate reasons.

Extended family do not need an essential reason to come to Canada, but must be staying in the country for at least 15 days.

People can also come to Canada for compassionate reasons, such as for a funeral, to be present during the last moments of life for a loved one, or provide medical support.

Students enrolled in Designated Learning Institutions that have coronavirus-readiness plans can start coming to Canada after October 20.

All exempt travellers must self-quarantine for 14 days upon entering Canada. They must also arrive at the border with an adequate quarantine plan.

Travellers coming to Canada for compassionate reasons may get limited release from the mandatory quarantine period.

Last week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the border will remain closed until coronavirus numbers go down in the U.S., while speaking on a Global News radio show, "The Start."

"We have committed to keeping Canadians safe and we keep extending the border closures because the United States is not in a place where we would feel comfortable reopening those borders," Trudeau said.

The U.S. still has the highest total number of coronavirus cases in the world, reporting over 8 million cases. Canada has reported nearly 200,000 cases.

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