Alaska Life Hack: Canadian border closure extended again, until late July

20
416

Canada has extended its border restriction with the United States until at least July 21.

According to Canada’s public safety minister, the action was coordinated with the United States, which has now opened up its economy after the lengthy shutdown in 2020 and early 2021, due to the Covid-19 virus pandemic. The Canadians shut their border to all but the most essential traffic in March of 2020.

“As we have said, the government is planning measures for fully vaccinated Canadians, Permanent Residents, and others who are currently permitted to enter Canada and will provide further details on Monday, June 21,” wrote Bill Blair, inister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness.

According to the Canadian government’s website on the border closure, “Habitual residents of Alaska who drive through Yukon to get to another part of Alaska or return to their place of residence are exempt from pre-entry and arrival testing. You must remain in your vehicle while passing through Canada.” This requirement makes it exceedingly difficult to get fuel or scrape bugs off the windshield.

Technically, however, that would mean people driving across from the Alcan–Beaver Creek Border Crossing to Haines or Skagway would be able to pass through the Yukon Territory and northern British Columbia,, so long as they can show they are residents of Alaska if going north or proof of residence or employment in the lower 48 states if going south. But many Alaska residents say it’s not that easy and they’ve been turned back at the border, and the reasons given by Canadian border guards are varied. Travelers often don’t know until they reach the border whether they will be allowed through.

20 COMMENTS

  1. We built the road but now we can’t use it. Real nice. Canada is beginning to be a pain in the — neighbor, kind of like the neighbor that thinks your yard is the bathroom for their dog.

  2. Albeit beautiful with many wonderful people, it is evident that Canada’s charter is to protect the US from incoming polar ice caps and fill the NHL with excellent hockey players. Outside of that…

  3. Dumbsh*t Joe cancelled the XL Pipeline Agreement with Canada. This is retaliatory in nature. Don’t blame us. Blame your idiot in the White House.

  4. Canada had a whopping 1085 cases yesterday, compared with 12430 in the US, for a rate of 29.75 vs. 31.42 per million people. But, you know, socialized medicine trumps all.

  5. I thought Canadians were our friends. Wait, it’s that buffoon in the White House.
    Alaskans like to travel, not now. More Stupid Covid-19 control.

  6. Exactly Canadian Reader. Sleepy Joe shut down the pipeline and Canada reacted. Plus, they see what’s going on with our southern border and don’t want that situation to arise there. Don’t blame them at all.

  7. Recently moved to Alaska. We had planned to drive all the way, but with the border restrictions we decided not to risk a Canadian border guard having a bad day blowing up our plans/schedule. Drove to Seattle, put our vehicle and trailer on a barge (NOT cheap), and flew up.

    In the end we should have just paid a moving company and flown up. It would have cost about the same and been much less hassle. Glad we don’t live near the border and I have no need to deal with the Canadians.

  8. James,

    You picked a hell of a time to move here. Unless you work for the state.

    The state is at war with the private sector, the legislature robs us blind while ignoring the law, our judicial branch is beyond corrupt, and income taxes are inevitable.

    Something has to pay for the out of control state government.

    Plus Uncle Joe Biden (Stalin) is at war with Alaska.

    I wish you luck. You’re gonna need it

  9. And not one of our elected representatives is doing anything to stop this insanity. Dan, Lisa, Don, and Governor Dunleavy’s complete silence on the border remaining closed by Canada shows how out of touch they are with Alaskans.
    I want to know if we give Canada any money for maintenance expenses on the Alcan Highway, and if so, how much are we giving them? How much have we given them since they closed that border? Any ideas Suzanne?

  10. Close the border entirely in both directions.

    Nothing exported to Canada.

    Noting imported from Canada.

  11. Just moved back from Canada. They’ve lost their minds on covid on everything, not just the border. 11 deaths from covid in entire country over past 7 days. They’d have more people vaccinated if they opened the border.

  12. Avenger,

    You seem a bit on the pessimistic side. I will be shocked if the state government imposes income taxes – it would be political suicide for all involved. I would be more worried about a state sales tax.

  13. @JAMES If Dunleavy loses, income taxes are a fait accompli. They’ll never cut spending.

  14. There are comments here from my Alaskan friends that I agree with. Trudeau was never qualified to be our PM. Apparently, his last name is the only qualifier, otherwise he is our idiot in the mansion. Canadians are also divided. The cities are choked with Liberals and Left-wing greenies who have no clue how energy resources are developed and delivered to market. But in rural Canada, across all provinces, there are Conservatives. We are a natural resource driven country. An Agreement was made between your country and mine, to build a pipeline called XL, which would deliver vital petroleum products. Your country under Joe Biden, broke the Agreement.
    We do love Americans. But your guy in charge has allowed fossil fuel haters to reverse course and cancel a project that Canadians, and Americans, have sunk $Billions into. Neither country can afford climate action demagogues to run our governments. Our economies are at stake.
    Eh!

  15. There is an international treaty allowing overland access in perpetuity between states and assuring efficient trade.. Those who were here in the 1950 were so happy to have this wonderful relationship with Canada. Based upon the uniting overland route Alaska could become a united state after all and chart our own course. This has been a wonderful relationship of true friendship until very recently. Sad.

Comments are closed.