Senator Collins Welcomes New Brunswick Plan to Begin Reopening Border on July 1
Washington, D.C.—U.S. Senator Susan Collins welcomed the government of New Brunswick’s plan to begin opening its border with the State of Maine.
New Brunswick’s “Path to Green” framework calls for allowing travel between New Brunswick and Maine by July 1st as long as 75% of New Brunswickers 12 and older have received their first dose of a vaccine; 20% of New Brunswickers 65 and older have received their second dose; hospitalizations remain low; and all New Brunswick health zones remain at the Yellow alert level.
“This announcement is an encouraging step toward finally ending the protracted U.S.-Canada border closure, which has taken a severe toll on the many Mainers who have been unable to visit Canadian relatives and small businesses that have lost Canadian customers. I have pushed for months for the immediate easing of restrictions on border crossings given the relatively low incidence of Covid in Maine and Canadian towns along the border and the growing number of vaccinations. Although the ‘Path to Green’ plan delays opening the border for at least a month, it is welcome news that there is finally a light at the end of the tunnel for many Maine families and small businesses.”
Senator Collins has spoken repeatedly with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas about the effects of the U.S.-Canada border closure on the State of Maine. In February, she wrote to the Secretary to urge him 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. Earlier this month, Senator Collins raised the border closure issue at a Canada-U.S. Interparliamentary Group meeting that included both U.S. Senators and Canadian members of Parliament.
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