Canada-U.S. border impact uncertain after U.S. says foreign visitors will have to be vaccinated
By early November, most adult foreign nationals will have to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to travel to the United States, the White House announced Monday.
The news is the first clear indication from the Biden administration that it is preparing to ease travel restrictions first imposed in March 2020, at the outset of the pandemic. Details, however, remain in short supply.
It is not clear, for instance, how the new policy will specifically impact travel at the Canada-U.S. land border, where non-essential visitors remain prohibited from crossing.
That specific prohibition is being extended another 30 days until Oct. 21, a White House official said.
The other burning question is whether Canadians who received the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, which has never been approved for use in the U.S., will meet the eligibility test.
New York congressman Brian Higgins, long one of the most vocal Capitol Hill critics of travel restrictions with Canada, said it's long past time the U.S. began allowing recreational visits from Canada.
"It is welcome news that the White House is making progress on reciprocating international public health measures to protect air travellers," Higgins said in a statement.
"Yet it is inexplicable that no announcement on easing travel restrictions at land ports of entry is being made today since the livelihoods of communities across the northern border depend on cross-border commerce."
The White House says the forthcoming new rules will apply to air travel and require passengers to show proof of vaccination before boarding, as well as a negative COVID-19 test no more than three days old.
In that respect, they are similar to the rules Canada began imposing over the summer -- initially on returning Canadians, then on U.S. citizens and permanent residents, then finally on all foreign nationals.
More stringent testing and quarantine requirements will also be put in place for unvaccinated travellers when the new rules take effect in November.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 20, 2021
IN DEPTH
Trudeau, key election players to testify at foreign interference hearings. What you need to know
The public hearings portion of the federal inquiry into foreign interference in Canadian elections and democratic institutions are picking back up this week. Here's what you need to know.
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
Who is supporting, opposing new online harms bill?
Now that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's sweeping online harms legislation is before Parliament, allowing key stakeholders, major platforms, and Canadians with direct personal experience with abuse to dig in and see what's being proposed, reaction is streaming in. CTVNews.ca has rounded up reaction, and here's how Bill C-63 is going over.
As Poilievre sides with Smith on trans restrictions, former Conservative candidate says he's 'playing with fire'
Siding with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith on her proposed restrictions on transgender youth, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre confirmed Wednesday that he is against trans and non-binary minors using puberty blockers.
TREND LINE What Nanos' tracking tells us about Canadians' mood, party preference heading into 2024
Heading into a new year, Canadians aren't feeling overly optimistic about the direction the country is heading, with the number of voters indicating negative views about the federal government's performance at the highest in a decade, national tracking from Nanos Research shows.
Opinion
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
opinion Don Martin: Pierre Poilievre's road to apparent victory will soon start to get rougher
Pierre Poilievre and his Conservatives appear to be on cruise control to a rendezvous with the leader's prime ministerial ambition, but in his latest column for CTVNews.ca, Don Martin questions whether the Conservative leader may be peaking too soon.
opinion Don Martin: The Trudeau lessons from Brian Mulroney's legacy start with walking away
Justin Trudeau should pay very close attention to the legacy treatment afforded former prime minister Brian Mulroney, who died on Thursday at age 84, writes columnist Don Martin.
opinion Don Martin: ArriveCan debacle may be even worse than we know from auditor's report
It's been 22 years since a former auditor general blasted the Chretien government after it 'broke just about every rule in the book' in handing out private sector contracts in the sponsorship scandal. In his column for CTVNews.ca, Don Martin says the book has been broken anew with everything that went on behind the scenes of the 'dreaded' ArriveCan app.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trackers on board: Why criminals might plant a tracking device in your car
Personal tracking devices like Apple AirTags were designed to help us find our keys or wallets. Police in the United States, however, are now investigating how the quarter-sized devices may be a tool in the arsenal of criminal gangs on this side of the border.
Video shows brazen daylight shooting in downtown Vancouver
CTV News has obtained video of a targeted shooting that shocked bystanders in a busy area of downtown Vancouver Saturday evening.
'I look forward to being arrested': J.K. Rowling challenges Scotland's new hate crime law
A new law against hate speech came into force in Scotland on Monday, praised by some but criticized by others who say its sweeping provisions could criminalize religious views or tasteless jokes.
Donald Trump has posted a US$175 million bond to avert asset seizure as he appeals N.Y. fraud penalty
Donald Trump posted a US$175 million bond on Monday in his New York civil fraud case, halting collection of the more than US$454 million he owes and preventing the state from seizing his assets to satisfy the debt while he appeals, according to a court filing.
A Texas woman is suing the prosecutors who charged her with murder after her self-induced abortion
A woman in Texas is suing prosecutors and Starr County for more than US$1 million after she was arrested and unlawfully charged with murder for an abortion she had in 2022.
Jennifer Garner mourns her father William Garner after his death at 85
Jennifer Garner shared with her social media followers on Monday that her father William Garner has died.
Alex Murdaugh gets 40 years in federal prison for final charges
For maybe the last time, Alex Murdaugh, in a prison jumpsuit instead of the suit he used to wear, shuffled into a courtroom Monday in South Carolina and was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison.
Cargo ship's owner and manager seek to limit legal liability for deadly bridge disaster in Baltimore
The owner and manager of a cargo ship that rammed into Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge before the span collapsed last week filed a court petition Monday seeking to limit their legal liability for the deadly disaster.
Former Dolphins, Colts player Vontae Davis found dead in his South Florida home
Former Miami Dolphins and Indianapolis Colts cornerback Vontae Davis was found dead in his South Florida home on Monday, but police say no foul play is suspected.
Local Spotlight
'I'm indebted to these guys': First responder, former cop save N.S. man's life in hockey rink
A first responder and a former police officer saved a Nova Scotia man's life as he suffered a heart attack on ice in March.
'Pretty remarkable': Alberta distillery beats out Ireland, Scotland at international whisky competition
A distillery in Parkland County is being internationally recognized for outstanding whisky production – and one bottle in particular is getting all the attention.
This historical tavern in Toronto is closing after nearly 200 years
An historic downtown Toronto bar is closing its doors next week after nearly 200 years in business.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Conservation officers seize 9-foot python from Chilliwack home
B.C. conservation officers recently seized a nine-foot-long Burmese python from a home in Chilliwack.
N.B. man wins $64 million from Lotto 6/49
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
Ontario auto-insurance changes could leave some vulnerable, says expert
The Ontario government is introducing changes to auto-insurance, but some experts say the move is ill-advised.