US/Canada border to reopen in August, though result for northwest may be more trickle than flood of late summer visitors

While most Canada/US border locations will reopen next month
the Prince Rupert terminal for the Alaska Marine Highway System
will remain closed as  the service to and from Ketchikan has yet to resume

The Federal government has announced that the Canada/US border will be reopened on the Canadian side as of August 9th, the statement from government outlining how the border crossing opportunities will work for those entering Canada.

Canada plans to begin allowing entry to American citizens and permanent residents, who are currently residing in the United States, and have been fully vaccinated at least 14 days prior to entering Canada for non-essential travel. 

This preliminary step allows for the Government of Canada to fully operationalize the adjusted border measures ahead of September 7, 2021, and recognizes the many close ties between Canadians and Americans. Subject to limited exceptions, all travellers must use ArriveCAN (app or web portal) to submit their travel information. 

If they are eligible to enter Canada and meet specific criteria, fully vaccinated travellers will not have to quarantine upon arrival in Canada.

The US border opening, will be followed by a wider program of accepting International travellers from other nations as of September 7th, providing they too are full vaccinated.

The announcement can be reviewed here, while a background piece with more details is available here.

While American visitors will soon be allowed to return to some of their favourite Canadian tourism destinations, we imagine that we won't be seeing a great rush of American based traffic into the Northwest, as the border crossing of the AMHS terminal in Prince Rupert will most likely remain closed for the foreseeable future.

That gateway which in the past has provided for much of the US licence plate traffic through the region has been closed since the fall of 2019 when the AMHS suspended its Ferry service a decision make well before COVID had even been heard of and for reasons far removed from virus concerns.

With the border closed for much of the last twenty-one months, there was no real urgency it seems to discuss the future of the Ferry service between Ketchikan and Prince Rupert 

As a result, there have been no announcements made in recent months as to what the AMHS may have decided when it comes to serving the North Coast and providing for the link between countries, though they continue to hold a spot in their schedule planning for Prince Rupert.

With that option still closed for visitors for now, anyone coming to Prince Rupert from the US is truly making the North Coast a destination, as opposed to just a passing through community,

More notes on Tourism in the region can be explored from our archive page here.

Updates on ferry travel themes is available here.