Canada will keep many of its border restrictions in place through June, but residents of the Northwest Angle traveling to the U.S. mainland can now avoid pre- and post-travel testing.
The Government of Canada announced Friday that it will extend many of its COVID-19 travel restrictions through June 21.
The Northwest Angle, part of Minnesota and accessible by a 40-minute drive through Manitoba, has largely been cut off from the rest of the U.S. since the beginning of the pandemic when Canada closed its border.
The area, home to 120 permanent residents and several resorts, relies heavily on travel from anglers. Resorts have seen revenue drop by between 50 and 90%.
With Canada’s recent announcement, residents traveling by car through Canada to the mainland can avoid mandatory screening required for most travelers going through the country.
Travel restrictions that will remain in place include restricting all commercial and private passenger flights from India and Pakistan, which have seen large spikes of COVID-19 cases recently.
Travelers will also still be required to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival and undergo pre-arrival, on-arrival and post-arrival testing. A hotel stopover is required for air travelers.
Violations of these restrictions can result in 6 months in prison and $750,000 in fines.