Is love non-essential? Windsor-Detroit couple readies for border restrictions

To many people living in the Windsor, Ont., area, the Canada-U.S. border is little more than an imaginary line.They cross it routinelyfor work, shopping, appointments, entertainment or to see loved ones.

But with stricter crossing rules coming into play Friday at midnight amid the growing COVID-19 pandemic, one Canada-U.S. couple is wondering how long it will be before they can see each other again.

"It's probably going to be a monthand we're not goingto see each other.iPadand FaceTimeis all we're goingto get for now," saidLiz Girard, who lives in Windsor. "I'm not too happy about that it's kind of my vacation home up there."

Girard'spartner of seven years,Mike Lefrancois, livesand works in Metro Detroit. The two usually spend weekends together.But this past weekend, Lefrancois said something unusual happened to him as he was returning to Michigan.

LISTEN | Hear from Girard and Lefrancois on CBC Radio's Windsor Morning:

"I crossed the border on Monday morningwith the regular commuter traffic Ipull up and something was a little bit off," saidLefrancois, who has a NEXUS card, a program that allowshim to pass quickly through customs.

"[The border officer] opens the window and asks me where Iwas, and Itold him.He started talking about restrictedtravel and essential travel only. He suggested if Iwant to come back to Michigan, Ishould just stay in Michigan and not cross back again.

"I told him, 'No one has said anything on the news.'And Iwent to their website and there was nothing.

"We had a two-day headstart as to what was going to happen."

An agreement to close the Canada-U.S. border to all non-essential travel will go into effectat midnight on Friday. The border will also remain open for trade and commerce to ensure a stable supply chain of goods.

The unprecedented move comes as both countries tryto slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has infected thousands around the world and disrupted economies.

According to a statement from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the agreement will allow people to cross the border for medical purposes andto attend educational institutions or work, and includes exemptions for emergency response and public health purposes.

Diplomats, others travelling on government business and military members will also be exempt from the travel restrictions.

"Iactuallytook today off two weeks ago so Icould go up there and have a long weekend and now that's not happening," said Girard. "A lot of phone conversations and FaceTiming. That's all we're going to have."

It's currently unclear when the U.S.-Canada border mayreopen to non-essential travel.