The U.S. side of the Canadian border will reopen to vaccinated Canadians on Nov. 8 as America opens more broadly to international travelers, White House officials confirmed to members of Congress on Friday.
The Nov. 8 opening will come nearly three months after Canada opened its land borders to vaccinated Americans.
However, significant differences will remain over how the two nations manage their newly reopened land border crossings.
Federal officials have told the office of Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer that Canadian children will be allowed into America even though they are too young to be vaccinated. Those officials made no mention of a quarantine requirement – and while Canada does not require children to quarantine upon arrival, it does bar them from group settings for their first 14 days in the country.
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Children as well as adults traveling to Canada are also required to show proof of a negative Covid-19 test taken within the 72-hour period before their arrival in the country, but Canadians arriving in the U.S. will not face a testing requirement.
Canada will continue to be much more stringent, too, in terms of requiring proof of vaccination.
Americans heading north must enter proof of vaccination on Canada's "ArriveCan" app – essentially a vaccine passport.
But Canadians arriving in the U.S. as of Nov. 8 will simply be asked if they are vaccinated. They will only be asked for proof of vaccination if they are referred to secondary inspection, said congressional sources who have been briefed on the border reopening.
The Reuters news service first reported the Nov. 8 reopening date early Friday morning, three days after The Buffalo News broke the news that the U.S. side of the border will reopen in early November.
The reopening of the Canadian and Mexican land borders on Nov. 8 is part of a larger move to open the U.S. to vaccinated foreign travelers arriving by air.
"This policy is guided by public health, stringent and consistent," White House spokesman Kevin Munoz said on Twitter.
The U.S., Canada and Mexico agreed to close their land borders to nonessential travel on March 21, 2020, at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Many international air travelers faced similar restrictions.
But the White House said Friday that it would open air travel to vaccinated visitors from 33 countries as of Nov. 8. Those nations include China, India, Brazil and most European nations.
The news service also said that vaccinated air travelers will face stricter protocols than those crossing the land borders. International air travelers will have to show proof of vaccination before boarding any U.S.-bound flight. And unlike those crossing the land border, international air travelers will have to show proof of a recent negative Covid-19 test.
U.S. politicians who have been pushing for the Canadian border reopening were happy to hear that it was finally about to happen.
“We are very pleased to welcome our Canadian friends, family and neighbors back to Buffalo and Western New York," said Rep. Brian Higgins, a Buffalo Democrat.Â
Schumer, a New York Democrat, agreed.
"I am ecstatic that the administration heeded my calls, followed the science and data, and have committed to safely reopen the border on November 8 to vaccinated travelers – a move that will further boost Western New York’s economic recovery," he said.
Rep. Chris Jacobs, an Orchard Park Republican, agreed with the Democrats that the reopening was long overdue.
"This action is the product of nonstop advocacy from numerous groups, including countless dedicated citizens, family members and organizations in our area," Jacobs said. "Separated families will be able to reunite, and small businesses will be able to welcome Canadian shoppers and finish the year strong."
