OTTAWA -- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the current talks underway to extend the Canada-U.S. border restrictions prohibiting all non-essential travel across the border for another month are 鈥済oing well,鈥 and now鈥檚 not the time to talk about terms of loosening the cross-border shutdown.

Last month, Canada and the United States agreed to extend the closure for at least another month. That agreement is set to expire on May 21.

Canada is now looking to see that extended, even as parts of both countries begin gradually reopening. Federal officials are in discussion with Homeland Security about putting off the loosening of cross-border travel restrictions to June 21.

While an agreement has yet to be made with a week to go, Trudeau said he is 鈥渃onfident about being able to continue to keep Canadians safe.鈥

Asked what progress has been made establishing terms or measures for an eventual reopening to tourists, Trudeau said the government is still 鈥渕aking decisions for right now.鈥

鈥淲e are a good week away from the expiry of the current phase of our border restrictions, with the United States. Conversations are ongoing鈥 I won't make any announcements today, but I can say that things are going well,鈥 he said.

'IT'S NOT SIMPLE'

The agreement, as it stands, exempts the flow of trade and commerce, as well as vital health-care workers such as nurses who live and work on opposite sides of the border.

While agreement on an extension is not guaranteed, last week Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said the discussions around keeping travel restrictions in place have remained 鈥渧ery neighbourly.鈥

Though, some in the business community are looking for some tweaks to the agreement as it stands.

Canadian American Business Council CEO Maryscott Greenwood said that largely the current commerce accommodations are working, but there are instances where it is not and more needs to be done.

鈥淲e鈥檙e actually calling on both governments to develop an essential commerce designation, it鈥檚 like a trusted traveller designation, but it would be for folks in the supply chain that need to get back and forth, that need to deliver goods and they鈥檝e have had trouble so far,鈥 she said, citing examples of people looking to get across who aren鈥檛 in a train or transport truck.

Because the current approach leaves it up to the discretion of individual border agents at the crossings, it is an unpredictable situation for some essential workers, said Greenwood.

More broadly with states that neighbour Canadian provinces starting to lift restrictions, the reality in some areas is becoming quite different, even within close geographic proximity.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not simple, it has to do with health-care capacity to deal with the crisis, it has to do with the loss of human life, and it has to do with testing, and local governments鈥 confidence and ability to be able to secure the health and safety of their own population before they open it up to others to come in,鈥 Greenwood said.

INTERNATIONAL TRAVELLERS A RISK 

Offering a further indication of Canada鈥檚 current position on the border, Trudeau flagged concerns that opening up international travel would make Canadians 鈥渧ulnerable鈥 as countries worldwide are still working to contain outbreaks.

鈥淚 think every country recognizes that as we control our domestic situation, we are vulnerable to international travellers. Different countries are facing different challenges and as we manage the spread COVID-19, we want to make sure that we're not becoming vulnerable for from travellers arriving elsewhere,鈥 Trudeau said.

As of midday Wednesday Canada has 71,490 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 5,212 deaths. To date, the United States has more than 1.3 million confirmed COVID-19 cases and has reported more than 82,000 deaths. 

It has been two months since Trudeau鈥檚 first Rideau Cottage address. At that time, the advice to Canadians was to avoid all non-essential travel but the Canada-U.S. border remained open.

On Tuesday, Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam said that the severity of the outbreak in the United States means Americans 鈥減resent a risk to Canada.鈥

Trudeau has vowed to move with caution when it comes to any eventual loosening of travel restrictions.

With files from 麻豆影视鈥 Michel Boyer