U.S.- Canadian border opening to fully-vaccinated in early November

Sen. Chuck Schumer said Tuesday night the U.S.-Canadian border will reopen at land crossings to the fully-vaccinated starting in early November.

This will mark the first nonessential bilateral crossings since March 2020, Schumer’s office said.

The Canadian government opened its side of the border to vaccinated U.S. travelers two months ago.

“Since the beginning of the pandemic, members of our shared cross-border community have felt the pain and economic hardship of the land border closures," Schumer said. "That pain is about to end. Very soon, the link between New York and our northern neighbors will finally be re-established, reuniting families, bolstering businesses, and ending a frustrating cycle of waiting for everyone involved.”

Gov. Kathy Hochul issued a statement as well, praising the move.

"I applaud our federal partners for reopening our borders to Canada, something I have called for since the beginning of the closure," Hochul said. "Canada is not only our trade partner, but more importantly, Canadians are our neighbors and our friends. From Western New York to the North Country, I look forward to welcoming our Canadian neighbors back to New York as we continue to rebuild and recover from this pandemic."