Collins, Colleagues Ask Canadian Government for Parity in Border Testing Requirements

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Mike Crapo (R-ID) sent a letter asking the Canadian government to help address challenges created by its border testing policy.  The Senators specifically highlighted Canada’s policy that vaccinated travelers entering the country present a negative pre-arrival molecular coronavirus test, which can be expensive and may deter individuals from traveling between the two countries.

“We have heard from constituents that the testing protocols required by the Canadian government to enter the country will make it very costly for individuals to travel between our two nations. . . .This expense could discourage tourism and will be prohibitively expensive for individuals who regularly travel across our northern border, including those in Minnesota, Maine, Idaho, and New York,” the Senators wrote.

“While some travelers may have access to free or discounted tests, the timing of test results will prove challenging to navigate. . . .It is important for both of our nations’ economies that fully vaccinated individuals are able to travel between Canada and the U.S. with ease,” the Senators concluded.

Click HERE to read the full letter.

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Last week, Senator Collins applauded the official reopening of the U.S. and Canada land border to fully vaccinated Canadians following the efforts she led to adjust or reevaluate restrictions on non-essential travel across the U.S.-Canada border.  

Last month, she joined a group of six Senators in calling on the Administration to provide the medical justifications for continued U.S.-Canada land border restrictions.  In July, she joined the rest of the Maine Delegation in sending a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, urging the Biden Administration to take steps to allow fully-vaccinated Canadians to cross the U.S.-Canada border for business or leisure given current health conditions.  In May, she participated in a call with U.S. Senators and Canadian members of Parliament to discuss the importance of reopening the border.  Earlier this year, Senator Collins sent a letter urging DHS Secretary Mayorkas to ease restrictions on U.S.-Canada travel and included copies of correspondence she had with both former President Trump and former Acting Secretary Chad Wolf advocating for limited border crossing exemptions based on localized risks.

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