More than 18,000 foreign travelers from the United States have been turned back by Canada for non-essential travel since the partial closure of the border between the two countries in March, according to Canadian authorities.
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Between March 22 and September 2, Canadian agents refused entry to 18,431 foreign travelers, the majority Americans, arriving from the United States, according to statistics from the Canada Border Services Agency transmitted to AFP on Sunday. .
These travelers were turned away by the Canadian authorities on the grounds that their travel was deemed non-essential, including in particular tourist or leisure visits, the federal agency said.
Canada and the United States closed their common border, the longest in the world, on March 21, except for trade in goods and goods and essential workers, in order to contain the contagion of the novel coronavirus epidemic.
In mid-August, the border closure was extended until at least September 21.
Normally, more than 400,000 Canadians and Americans cross the border between the two countries every day, which is nearly 8,900 kilometers long.
The exchange of goods and commodities on both sides totals C $ 2.4 billion daily.
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