U.S. - Canada Border to Close for Non-Essential Travel

Wednesday, March 18, 2020

GoLocalPDX News Team

Canada - U.S. border is closed. Trudeau. PHOTO: Ken Lund/Flickr

The U.S. - Canada border will be closed for non-essential travel due to the threat of the spread of coronavirus.

“We will be, by mutual consent, temporarily closing our northern border with Canada to non-essential traffic. Trade will not be affected,” tweeted President Donald Trump on Wednesday morning.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau added, “I just spoke to President Trump 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.”

The U.S. - Canada border is the longest border between two countries in the world.

The move comes a day after the European Union agreed to close its external borders to non-citizens.

On Monday, Trudeau closed Canada’s border to non-citizens, however, U.S. citizens were exempt from the ban.

Trudeau’s wife, Sophie, tested positive for coronavirus late last week.

Coronavirus

As of Wednesday, there are more than 6,203 cases of coronavirus in the U.S.

Around the world, there are more than 200,000 cases and nearly 8,000 deaths.

PHOTO: Ken Lund/Flickr