Higgins: Work must start now on preventing future US-Canada border restrictions

Northern Border Caucus co-chair shares message in meeting with Canadian leaders & in letter to Biden

Congressman Brian Higgins says the U.S. and Canada should begin to work now to prepare for better communication and collaboration needed to prevent the disjointed border policies that occurred over the past three years during the coronavirus pandemic.

In a letter to President Joe Biden, Higgins wrote, “As our country emerges from the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE), now is the time to develop a plan with other countries, like Canada, to ensure future alignment on travel policies. The confusing, convoluted, and disjointed policies on each side of the border presented a constant challenge for families and had a significant economic impact on both countries during the pandemic. We are still recovering from these shocks.”

Higgins pointed to existing agreements and frameworks that could “facilitate information sharing and promote rapid synchronized decision-making to minimize contradictory messages and policies.”

Higgins, who serves as co-chair of the Canada-U.S. Interparliamentary Group, also hosted a meeting earlier this week in Washington, D.C., with his Canadian counterparts in Parliament.

In addition to discussing border management, during the meeting, Higgins continued to raise concerns about the government of Canada’s “Underused Housing Tax,” which his team said “is unfairly impacting Americans who have been longtime cottage owners in Canada.

“Over 400 United States residents from 91 congressional districts across the country have filled out Congressman Higgins’ survey indicating the hardship created by the new property tax.”

Higgins’ Western New York district, which includes the cities of Niagara Falls and Buffalo, borders Southern Ontario.