Windsorites 'blown away' to learn they can soon travel to the U.S.

For the first time since the pandemic began, the end of the U.S. land border closure is in sight, a development that has sparked excitement here in Windsor-Essex.

For Tina Ouellette, the re-opening of the border means she'll be able to drive to see her boyfriend, who lives about 45 minutes away in Michigan.

Given the extended closure of the border, she thought she was going to have to spend another Christmas without him.

"I was actually blown away and surprised because honestly it was getting to the point where I didn't think it was going to open into the new year," she said. "I didn't have any more hope or faith because it seemed like every month came around, it got pushed another month."

Ouellette said she was able to see him in August, but had to pay for a flight to Detroit from Toronto, because while the land border was closed, the border has been open to air travellers.

Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens was also among those excited to hear the news. 

"Twenty months in the making, there are so many people in our community that are just waiting for this opportunity to cross back into Detroit to connect with families," he said.