Gov. Doug Burgum released the following statement today after the Biden administration announced it will begin lifting restrictions at the U.S.-Canada border in November to allow nonessential travelers who have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 to enter the United States via land and ferry. Canada reopened its border to vaccinated U.S. citizens for nonessential travel on Aug. 9.
“While this shift in policy unfortunately includes more needless delays, it is a positive and long overdue step toward ending the unnecessary restrictions that have caused real pain to our communities and citizens on both sides of the border as well as our retail and tourism businesses that rely on Canadian travelers,” Burgum said. “We will continue to press the Biden administration – as we have done repeatedly these past several months with our fellow border states and provinces – to lift these restrictions as soon as possible and resume normal travel with Canada, our closest friend, ally and trading partner.”