The province of Saskatchewan and the state of North Dakota have signed an agreement to vaccinate essential workers.
Approximately 2-thousand Saskatchewan residents will be eligible for the program.
Starting tomorrow (Wed), Saskatchewan truck drivers will be eligible for vaccination at the Drayton site in North Dakota.
“And at in the coming days, North Dakota is going to set up one more location to vaccinate truckers as well as other essential energy workers that are crossing into Saskatchewan at the North Portal border crossing just south of Estevan.” Premier Scott Moe said during the COVID-19 news conference.
Vaccinations will be available Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, from noon to 8pm.
“The Saskatchewan Trucking Association (STA) knows how critical vaccines are to fighting COVID-19 and is pleased to see the partnership between North Dakota and Saskatchewan,” STA Executive Director Susan Ewart said in a Saskatchewan Government news release. “Providing necessary vaccines to professional drivers and oil field workers crossing the border will ensure the safety and protection of these workers as they continue to drive the economy.”
Last year, trade between Saskatchewan and North Dakota was valued at 2-billion dollars.
This comes a week after Manitoba reached a similar agreement with North Dakota to vaccinate Manitoba truck drivers who have to cross the Canada-U.S. border.