7.21.21 Advocacy Alert: US Extends Canadian Border Closure to August 21
Blog Categories
July 21, 2021
Today, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced it was extending its ban on non-essential land entry by Canadian travelers through August 21.
The move comes on the heels of Canada’s decision Monday to reopen its land border to vaccinated, non-essential American travelers on August 9.
Canada’s decision and calls from our region’s federal representatives have not changed the U.S. government’s thinking. When asked Monday if the U.S. would follow Canada’s lead, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said the Biden Administration is “continuing to review our travel restrictions. Any decisions about resuming travel will be guided by our public health and medical experts. … I wouldn’t look at it through a reciprocal intention.”
The BNP continues to urge the Biden Administration to welcome Canadian travelers. We called for the border to open in April. In May, the BNP teamed up with Ontario’s Greater Niagara and Hamilton Chambers of Commerce to explain the benefits reopening the border would have for our binational economy. We specifically urged both nations to mutually agree upon a binational border opening implementation plan. Both nations' failure to heed this advice has led to an unbalanced border policy.
The BNP remains committed to reducing unnecessary barriers to crossing the border, and will continue to push the Biden Administration to allow, at a minimum, reciprocal access for non-essential Canadian travelers.
Related Posts
Building the Future: How the Federal Tech Hub Funding Will Transform Western and Central New York
The federal funding secured through the Tech Hubs program marks a turning point for Western and Central New York, presenting significant economic opportunities our region. This is just the start of what will be a transformative journey, and the Buffalo Niagara Partnership will continue leading the way with our partners in Rochester and Syracuse.
Buffalo-Rochester-Syracuse One Of Only 12 Winners From Across The Nation For Highly Competitive Federal Grant
After years of relentless advocacy and landing the prestigious federal Tech Hub designation for the Buffalo-Rochester-Syracuse that he created in his CHIPS & Science Law, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer today announced the “NY SMART I-Corridor Tech Hub” was just selected as one of only 12 Tech Hub award winners in the nation, bringing a major $40 million in federal funding to further position Upstate NY as a semiconductor center for the world.
4 New HR Mandates Employers Need to Know
New employee rights are among the key policy revisions to come out of the 2024-25 New York State budget approved in April. At the BNP’s latest Government Affairs series event, a panel of experts broke down what employers need to know about these HR mandates – some of have already gone into effect. Here are four key takeaways from Policy Perspective.
BNP Hosts County Executive Candidates
In preparation for the 2023 elections, the BNP hosted an Erie County Executive Candidate Forum. Both candidates for Erie County’s highest office – incumbent Mark Poloncarz and challenger Chrissy Casilio – were given 45 minutes to address BNP members in a guided discussion.