As of 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, June 16, restrictions to the Ontario/Manitoba border will be lifted, allowing people from the west to enter the province.

The announcement was made by Kenora/Rainy River MPP Greg Rickford on Monday morning.

"As it stands, there are no plans to continue the border restrictions as of Wednesday. We want to thank our finest men and women in blue who've done a great job of keeping traffic control and keeping us safe. We believe we are in a position that the restrictions can be lifted," says Rickford

The restrictions came into effect April 19, 2021 where enforcement officials set up at interprovincial points of entry to screen incoming passenger vehicles with out-of-province plates to determine their reason for entering Ontario, and those not travelling for essential reasons were refused entry.

"It was an extraordinary job. We've never had anything like this. It must come to an end and I am hopeful that this is another signal that we're living in a less restrictive environment. As long as we play it safe and get our second vaccination, we're on track to a normal summer."