The U.S. side of the Canadian border will open to vaccinated Canadians starting in early November, the Biden administration told senior members of Congress on Tuesday, signaling the end of a 19-month pandemic-prompted shutdown that separated families and shook U.S. businesses that counted on customers from north of the border.
Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer announced the coming reopening.
“Since the beginning of the pandemic, members of our shared cross-border community have felt the pain and economic hardship of the land border closures," said Schumer, a New York Democrat. "That pain is about to end. Very soon, the link between New York and our northern neighbors will finally be re-established, reuniting families, bolstering businesses and ending a frustrating cycle of waiting for everyone involved.”
Rep. Brian Higgins, a Buffalo Democrat, said he received word of the pending reopening from Jeff Zients, the White House coronavirus response coordinator.