Are WNYers Permanently Banned from Canada?

Sometimes I feel like we are Canada's Mexico. OK, I'm exaggerating, but I really am going through withdrawal. The ban on border crossings has been extended, yet again. The United States-Canadian border crossings in WNY have been closed to non-essential business since mid-March of 2020, according to USA Today.

Justin Trudeau, Canada's Prime Minister, announced today, Tuesday, January 12, 2021, that the border will remain closed until at least February 21, 2021, according to WGRZ. I get it, we are in the middle of a global pandemic, but I miss Canada. I've been thinking about my past trips to Toronto lately and can't wait until I can go back. We took it for granted and now look at us, fiending!

Bill Blair, a member of Parliament for Scarborough Southwest and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness tweeted about the continuation of the rule against non-essential crossings by U.S. citizens,

We are extending restrictions on non-essential travel with the United States until February 21st, 2021. Our Government will continue to ensure the safety of Canadians against #COVID19 and base our decisions on the best public health advice available.

I just hope we can get enough folks vaccinated, on both sides of the border, quickly, so we can visit again. It would be a blessing if the borders reopened right on time for summer. I would love for my first trip of 2021 to be to Canada. But alas, it's looking like it may be more like fall though, according to what Trudeau said today,