Canada-U.S. border closure to be extended yet again

The Canada-U.S. border closure is being extended once again, so if you've been biding your time making getaway plans for when it finally opens up again, you'll want to put them on hold.

The current intercountry ban was scheduled to be up in just five days, but is now slated to last until at least November or until the pandemic is "under control," senior officials have told CTV News.

The federal governments have kept the border locked down to everything but essential travel for the past six months.

No Canada for you.

CTV News: Canada-US border closure will likely be extended until November: sources

The current agreement on the US-Canada border closure to non-essential travel was set to expire on Sept. 21.

— Marc A. Ross (@marcaross) September 16, 2020

Though the rules have seemed to be somewhat lax for Canadians flying into the U.S., they remain strict for Americans coming into Canada, or anyone trying to cross the divide in either direction by land.

But some desperate travelers from the U.S. have taken advantage of a loophole by saying they're coming through Canada to get to Alaska — which a number of them have faced steep fines for.

Experts predict that, given the fact that the U.S. has had the worst handling of the pandemic out of any country in the world, the moratorium on non-essential travel between the two countries could last until next summer to ensure the safety of Canadians.

The fact that cases here are now spiking once more and a second wave is on the horizon as we enter flu season doesn't help.

Keep the Canada/US border closed please @JustinTrudeau we cannot risk it. https://t.co/ClZMHKnfYS

— CanadaSupports (@boredlatenight) September 16, 2020

Aside from granting family members of Canadians citizens or permanent residents the ability to come into the country back in June, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has held fast to the extended closure, despite Trump hinting early on that things would open up again.

Unrelated tensions between the two countries over a potential aluminum tarriff just dissipated this week, while the impacts of the wildfires (one of which was inadvertently ignited by a gender reveal party) in California unfortunately know no borders.

More than 6.6 million Americans have been diagnosed with the communicable disease over the course of the health crisis, nearly 200,000 of which have died.