Oh, Canada, you temptress to the north, with your universal health care and cheese-curd-and-gravy-covered fries. There are so many beautiful spots, from Prince Edward Island to Vancouver Island, and everything (well, most parts) in between, making it a popular spot for American vacationers. And given that it has been dubbed The Summer of the Road Tripand Canada is accessible by motor vehicle, it makes sense that Americans would want to come up and see the crystal clear waters in Banff, or European stand-in Quebec City.
The problem is, Canadians dont want us thereand rightfully so: their COVID-19 death rate has been roughly half of ours. At this point, it is illegal for American tourists to come to Canada in most cases. And if you think youll be able to sneak across the border, think again. As the New York Times reports, some Canadians have taken matters into their own hands to defend their land from our germs, including vandalizing cars with American license plates. So let this serve as another warning: do not attempt to illegally cross the border into Canada.
Be a good neighbor
Back in the Before Times, Canada was the second most popular international vacation destination for Americans, only after Mexico. But the border has been closed since March 31, thwarting many peoples travel plans. There are some folks, though, who just couldnt stay away.
By July 27, there had been so many reports of intimidationstemming from standoffs between Canadian residents and American touriststhat the premier of British Columbia held a press conference entitled Be Calm. Be Kind. Addressing the damage done to cars with license plates not only from the US, but also from other Canadian provinces, he made a recommendation to legal visitors: I would suggest, perhaps, public transit. I would suggest that they get their plates changed. I would suggest they ride a bike.
In short, follow the law and dont attempt to cross the border into Canada. Dont pretend like you somehow got lost in upstate New York, or were on your way to Alaska and just driving through. Not only is it a bad (and selfish) move from a public health standpoint (were still in a pandemic, after all), if you get caught, you could face up to a $750,000 fine or as many as six months in prison.read more
Don’t Even Think About Sneaking Across the Border Into Canada
