The governor of Washington state, Jay Inslee, issued the following statement today:

“Washingtonians have long been ready to welcome back Canadians traveling by land. I am pleased to hear from reports out of our nation’s capital this may finally happen in early November. It should have happened sooner: Canada has one of the highest vaccination rates in the world, and Canadians were already allowed to travel to the U.S. by air throughout the pandemic.

“The local economies of border communities in Washington and other states are connected to our friends across the border, and their recovery from the pandemic has been delayed by the border closure. I am proud of the work my office, the Department of Commerce, our congressional delegation, and other state and local partners did to help these communities persist through the unique circumstances put upon them by the pandemic.

“I also appreciate the Biden administration’s requirement that those traveling by land show proof they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Vaccinations are the safest and most effective way to reduce the risk of infection and serious complications from this virus.”