Poll finds that 80% of Canadians want the US-Canada border to stay closed for the rest of the year, as the coronavirus pandemic rages on in the US

• A recent poll found eight in 10 Canadians wanting the US-Canada border to stay closed until at least the end of 2020, the BBC reported Thursday.
• Canadians are reporting US license plates to the federal police.
• Those who are legally in Canada but have US license plates have reported harassment and vandalism of their cars.
• Canadians are concerned that Americans might spread the coronavirus.
• The US has recorded more than 5.2 million coronavirus cases and accounts for more than a quarter of the world's known infections.
• Canada has reported more than 123,000 cases.

Eight in 10 Canadians in a recent poll said they wanted their country's border with the US to stay closed at least through this year, according to the BBC.

The news organization on Thursday cited a July poll by Ipsos Reid. With the border closed for nonessential travel since March (commercial trucks are still able to pass), Canadians seem to remain worried that Americans pose a risk of spreading the coronavirus.

According to Travel & Leisure, Canadians have been reporting American license plates in the country to the federal police.

The situation prompted John Horgan, the premier of British Columbia, to warn Canadians who were driving vehicles with American plates to consider other forms of transportation.

"With respect to those who have offshore plates and are feeling harassed, I would suggest perhaps public transit," Horgan said. "I would suggest that they get their plates changed. I would suggest that they ride a bike."

The BBC added that some people with American license plates — even those legally allowed to be in Canada — had become scared to drive and that some had reported harassment or vandalism of their cars.

"They're all scared of driving their cars in the lower mainland because of vandalism, dirty looks, and just getting treated as some 'horrible American,'" Len Saunders, an immigration attorney who is a dual citizen, told the BBC.

The US has recorded more than 5.2 million coronavirus cases and accounts for more than a quarter of the world's known infections. Canada has reported a little more than 123,000 cases.

Canadian residents are concerned by the increase of cases in the US.

"Montana is directly south of us, is having a second spike of cases right now, and I don't feel sorry for anybody that gets stopped at the border, let's put it that way," Jim Willett, the mayor of Coutts, Alberta, told the BBC.

America's northern neighbor warned that anyone illegally crossing the border could face $566,000 in fines and six months imprisonment. If they cause "risk of imminent death or serious bodily harm," the punishment could be the equivalent of $739,006 and three years imprisonment.