Couple separated by border reunited after being separated for 4 months due to pandemic

A couple separated by the Canadian-American border is now reunited after being separated due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Joyce McComiskey lives in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., while her partner, Tony Kucharczyk, lives in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. When the pandemic started, the border between the two countries closed to non-essential travel.

McComiskey had signed a petition calling on the federal government to loosen the rules around who is allowed to cross the border.

Last month, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) told CBC news the travel restrictions only apply to Canadians trying to enter the country at land border crossings, including by car, train, ferry and pleasure boats.

McComiskey says they usually drive to see each other, but says arranging a trip by air seemed to be the only option.

She made arrangements to get time off work, found a place for her daughter to stay and arranged to have the time to quarantine once she returns to Canada.

When she went to book the flight to Detroit, the only option was to travel through Orlando, Florida.

"Of course, that wasn't an option Tony or I were comfortable with," she said. "Even the idea of getting into that airport wouldn't have been part of the process."

She ended up booking separate flights from Sault Ste. Marie, to Toronto and then on to Detroit where Tony drove five hours to meet her.

"It did require some planning which is normally 20 minutes to the bridge," she said.

Kucharczyk says it's been a challenge being away from McComiskey.

"It's normally a 40 minute drive [and] now, it's turned into a 10 hour drive. You've got to do what you've got to do," he said. "There is no normal anymore. We just make do."

As for when she returns to Canada, McComiskey says she's made arrangements to help with her period of quarantine.

"Relying on my friends and family to be supportive of the whole trip process was absolutely necessary," she said.

"I wouldn't have been able to do it without our friends and family being supportive."