ALBANY, NY – Despite loosening COVID restrictions across our country, the US border with Canada remains closed for non-essential travel.
NewsChannel 34’s Corina Cappabianca has more on a letter state lawmakers have sent to the Canadian Ambassador urging for it to be re-opened.
{{Jonathan Rivera, Assemblyman}} “Historically we would have big celebrations around this time and it’s just a shame that we’re not able to be with our loved ones the way we’d like to be.”
Western New York Assemblyman Jonathan Rivera says it’s been difficult 15-plus months for those with family on the other side of the border.
{{Jonathan Rivera, Assemblyman}} “You know, legitimately for people that have health concerns with their family members, aging parents, all kinds of scenarios.”
Assemblyman Rivera has sent a letter to Canadian Ambassador to the US Kristen Hillman, asking her to request that the Canadian government communicate a plan to open the border.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had said he’d like 75 percent of Canadians to be fully vaccinated before ending the closure.
On July 5th, however, Canadian citizens won’t need to quarantine when re-entering the country, as long as they are fully vaccinated.
Additionally, the closure remains an economic issue.
{{Jonathan Rivera, Assemblyman}} “We’re talking about hundreds of millions if not billions of dollars of both our GDP and Canada’s GDP being affected by our inability to move people from one side of the border to the other.”
The border closure remains in effect through at least July 21st.
In Albany, Corina Cappabianca.
