On edge: Manitobans living near U.S. border face uncertainty as 'non-essential' crossings restricted

News that the Canada-U.S. border is closingto non-essential travellers has left Manitobans with a multitude of questions, especially those who livenear bordercrossings.

Mlanie Parent is a councillor forthe Rural Municipality of Pineywho lives in the southeastern Manitoba communityof Sprague.She says her communityhas many ties to the city of Roseau, Minn., about 25 kilometres away.

"We think of it as part of our community," she said."Families marry across the border, people work there. I'm not sure how [the closure] is going to work."

Parent has aunts, uncles and cousins in Roseau, and isupset she won't be able to visit.

"They cannot come up. And I can't go there," she said. "I know of individuals whose parents live across the border, and they're elderly. They'll be separated now."

The temporary border closure, announced Wednesday, affects tourists or people travelling for recreational purposes.Public Safety Minister Bill Blair has said thatpeople who cross the borderto do essential work such as medical workerswill not be affected, but there are still questions for residents in places like Sprague.

The nearest hospital to the community isin Roseau. Manitoba has a long-standing arrangement that allows residents in border towns,includingSprague, to access emergency health care there.

But Parent saysit's unclear whether that agreement will continue.

"I don't know if we'll still be able to access that medical centre," she said. "Or what would happen when we return home."

The closest Canadian health care facility is about 100 kilometres away, in Steinbach.That's also where the closest supermarket will be,once the border closes.

"We have a very small grocery store," says Parent. "I spoke to the grocer this morning and he can't guarantee he'll have supplies here for us."

She says a lot of people in the rural municipality are dual citizens who hold jobs in the United States. Some are worried what might happen to these jobsif they can't cross.

"For me it's a big impact if they close the borders," said Sprague resident Keith Preteau, who drives a forkliftat a factory in Roseau.

"I go to the States five days a weekfor work, for grocery shopping, for visiting family and friends."

Border officials are now asking Canadians returning home from the U.S. to self-isolate for 14 days. Preteausays he'd want to do that at home in Sprague.

"I could be out of work for a bit,"he said.

Preteausays he's not sure whether he'd qualify for unemployment benefits from the U.S. under those circumstances.

It's unclear when exactly the border restrictions will come into place, butDeputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said earlier Wednesday it will happen within "hours or days."