Governor Mills Statement on Federal Government Prolonging Closure of Canadian Border

Governor Janet Mills issued the following statement today after the Federal government announced that the United States would keep its borders closed to nonessential travel until at least August 21, 2021:

“The State of Maine is inextricably bound to our Canadian neighbors. Our ties stretch across our economy, our culture, and our families. The decision to prolong the border closure on our end only diminishes these ties, hurts local economies, and separates families, particularly in northern and eastern Maine, whose relatives in Canada will be unable to travel here to see their loved ones. I share the Federal government’s concern about the spread of COVID-19, but vaccines are now available and Canada’s vaccination rate now exceeds that of the United States. The time has come for the U.S. government to safely open the border.”