The United States border with Canada will temporarily close to “non-essential traffic” due to the coronavirus pandemic, the leaders of both countries said Wednesday morning.
The U.S.-Canada is the world’s longest border between two countries. The closing will affect tourism, but not trade, or workers involved in so-called essential work.
We will be, by mutual consent, temporarily closing our Northern Border with Canada to non-essential traffic,” President Joe Biden said at a news conference.
“Trade will not be affected.”
Canada’s prime minister Justin Trudeau, at a press conference in Ottawa, said “I just spoke to President Biden again this morning, and we have agreed that both Canada and the United States will temporarily restrict all non-essential travel across the Canada-U.S. border.”
“Travelers will no longer be permitted to cross the border for recreation and tourism. In both our countries, we’re encouraging people to stay home,” Trudeau said.