Border city mayors ask feds to keep crossings closed

Land-border restrictions between Canada and the U.S. are slated to end on September 21, but some mayors want the border to remain closed until the end of this year. 

Sarnia's Mayor Mike Bradley is one of them, saying he told the federal government as much on Tuesday. 

That was when he, along with other leaders, attended a virtual meeting with Public Safety Minister Bill Blair. 

"He was very sympathetic," said Bradley. "He took our points seriously and says he'll continue meeting with us. 

The closure to non-essential travel has been in place for months, but with caseloads still high in many U.S. states, the two governments have mutually agreed to continue restricting movement across the world's longest international border.

Bradley said the federal government is likely going to extend the closure for another month and will continue consulting local mayors.

Many families have grappled with crossing over for things like medical reasons, births, and not meeting other criteria. 

Currently, Canada Border Services Agency officials decide on individual cases as people attempt to cross, but Bradley said he expects that to change. 

"I think they're looking at a different way of doing that and I think you'll see that announced in the next week," he said.

Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens was also part of the discussion, saying in a Facebook post "the closures, coupled with aggressive public health measures, have helped us flatten the curve in Canada. Many families and property owners are feeling the impact of these difficult decisions, and we're working collaboratively with the government on a path forward to allow for flexibility for those facing extreme circumstances."

The closure has resulted in a dramatic drop in traffic between the two countries although essential workers — like truck drivers and health-care professionals — are still able to cross by land despite the restrictions. Canadians are still able to fly to U.S. destinations.