July 16, 2021- 9:30 p.m.
Canada shuttered its land border with the United States in March 2020 as the pandemic first accelerated, and it has since restricted entry for other foreign visitors to help stem the spread of the virus.
But now, as vaccination rates climb and transmission slows, those controls could be lifted in the coming weeks, Trudeau said in a call with Canadian provincial leaders Thursday.
“The Prime Minister noted that, if our current positive path of vaccination rate and public health conditions continue, Canada would be in a position to welcome fully vaccinated travelers from all countries by early September,” his office said in a statement about the call.
Trudeau also “indicated that we could expect to start allowing fully vaccinated U.S. citizens and permanent residents into Canada as of mid-August for non-essential travel,” the statement said.
Since then, however, about 80 percent of eligible Canadians have received their first dose of coronavirus vaccine, with more than half now fully vaccinated, according to the prime minister’s office.
Canada is now recording several hundred new cases each day — with a current seven-day average of just 10 covid-related deaths, according to Our World in Data, which tracks publicly available figures.
“Case numbers and severe illness continue to decline as vaccinations continue to increase,” the statement said.
Trudeau and regional leaders also discussed the possibility of launching a “proof of vaccination credential,” according to the statement, as well as a “system that would enable Canadians to travel internationally with confidence.”
