With the U.S. president expressing a desire to reopen the American economy after Easter, Windsor's mayor has written Ottawa a letter asking it to keep the border closed until the COVID-19 pandemic passes.
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The letter to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs said, "the City of Detroit now reports about as many COVID-19 cases as the entire province of Ontario."
Mayor Drew Dilkens' letter emphasizes the critical relationship Windsor has to neighbour to the north, but said, "speculation in recent days that the United States administration is planning on lifting some of these vital pandemic-related movement restrictions has caused grave concern."
Dilkens points to recent comments by the Medical Officer of Health in Windsor-Essex calling for more protocols for cross border workers. Of the six confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Windsor-Essex, five are connected to international travel.
There are about 6,000 nurses who live in Windsor-Essex, that cross the border daily to work at hospitals in Michigan. They are considered essential workers and are exempt from the current border restrictions.
"We don't have much control if they work outside of Ontario," said Dr. Wajid Ahmed earlier this week during a media briefing on the local pandemic situation. "They may be required to go to work, so we are asking for some stronger measures to control and limit those individuals crossing the border. Because potentially, with the widespread community transmission in Detroit and Michigan, they may be exposed to individuals with COVID-19, and potentially bring it back to the community."
On Thursday, the Canadian government enacted the Quarantine Act for those returning to the country. Whereas before it was strongly recommended those people shelter in their homes for 14 days, it is now an order.
As of Friday morning, there were 2,856 cases of the virus in Michigan, including 851 in the City of Detroit. Ontario had 858 cases.
The U.S. also surpassed China and Italy for the most cases globally Thursday night with more than 81,000.
"To that point," continued the letter to Chrystia Freeland, "I would ask that, should the United States administration take any action to lift the important restrictions in place today, that the Canadian Government unilaterally move to maintain the current restrictions, until the best advice from public health officials suggests otherwise."