Trudeau says no deal on lifting border restrictions after talks with Biden

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Sunday that he and President Biden hadn’t reached a deal about lifting coronavirus border restrictions after discussing the matter.

Trudeau said during a press conference that he spoke with Biden about lifting the ban on nonessential travel between the U.S. and Canada. The restrictions were imposed in March 2020, at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Both U.S. and Canadian business leaders have complained about the border restrictions, which lowered tourist travel between the two countries, affecting Canadian businesses and airlines that depend on tourism, Reuters noted.  

Trudeau said Canada needs more of its citizens to be vaccinated before border restrictions are lifted, adding that he will work closely with the Biden administration to be on the right path. 

“We will continue to work closely together on moving forward in the right way but each of us always will put at the forefront the interests and the safety of our own citizens,” Trudeau said in the press conference. 

Canada announced last week that it will relax quarantine protocols for fully vaccinated citizens starting in July.