Canada's phased border reopening to begin July 5. Foreigners will still have to wait.

OTTAWA — Canada laid out details Monday of looser border restrictions starting July 5 for fully vaccinated citizens, residents and other eligible individuals.

But the Trudeau government still has no timeline for when it will crack open its door to nonessential foreign travelers.

"I understand the frustration of people who want certainty around what will happen next," Health Minister Patty Hajdu told a press conference Monday during which government officials were pressed repeatedly for specific targets. "Of course, the virus has thrown us a number of curve balls over the last year and a half."

Hajdu did provide one milestone the country hopes to achieve — full vaccination of at least 75 percent of Canada's population. She added that Canada is closely watching domestic rates of hospitalization, Covid-19 case counts and the virus' evolution internationally.

The changes announced Monday mark the first phase of Canada’s easing of public-health measures at its frontier.

The steps come a few days after Ottawa announced that both countries agreed to keep the crossings closed to nonessential international travelers until at least July 21.

The anger: With vaccination rates rising in both countries, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and President Joe Biden have been under pressure to start easing border restrictions.

The pushback has come from both sides of the frontier — from lawmakers, business leaders and families separated from loved ones for more than a year.

American politicians — including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer — swiftly denounced the announcement Friday to keep the border measures in place for at least another month.

Schumer told the Buffalo News that he called Kirsten Hillman, Canada’s ambassador to the U.S., to complain about Trudeau’s border decision.

“I told her that we have to work together, that the U.S. and Canada have to work to get the border open immediately,” the New York Democrat said. “I told her: Come up with a plan that will allow people who are vaccinated — Canadian or Americans — across the border.”

Others were more blunt.

"There's no other way to say it: another month's delay is bullshit," Rep. Brian Higgins (D-N.Y.), co-chair of the Congressional Northern Border Caucus, wrote Friday on Twitter.

Canada’s explanation: Trudeau said last Friday the decision to keep the frontier sealed for another month to foreign travelers, including Americans, was largely due to the government's concerns that fully vaccinated individuals may still be able to transmit Covid-19.

He said Canada had yet to reach a high enough threshold of second-dose vaccination.

“I get people's impatience,” Trudeau told reporters.

Public Safety Minister Bill Blair told CBC’s Rosemary Barton Live, in an interview that aired Sunday, that the U.S. border is unlikely to reopen fully until 75 percent of eligible Canadians have been fully vaccinated. More than 75 percent of eligible Canadians have received one shot while more than 20 percent have received two shots.

New targets: Trudeau had previously identified the 75/20 threshold as a key benchmark to start peeling back public-health restrictions, including those at the border.

A government official, speaking on background, told reporters Monday that in addition to vaccination coverage Canadian authorities are also watching metrics such as case counts and hospitalizations. Others have underlined concerns about the threat of variants.

When pressed Monday to provide specifics related to reopening, the official was unable to or declined to offer more details.

“Unfortunately, that’s not something I can give on this call today,” said the official. “I can tell you that the situation is a fluid situation. It’s a combination of metrics that we look at, including some modeling data.”

The first phase changes: Starting July 5 right before midnight, Canada will allow fully vaccinated travelers — who already have the right to enter the country — to avoid being subject to federal quarantine requirements or to take a Covid-19 test eight days after their arrival.

In addition, these travelers arriving by air will no longer be required to stay at a government authorized hotel.

The travelers, to be considered fully vaccinated, must have received all the doses of a Health Canada-approved vaccine — or combination of vaccines — at least 14 days before their arrival. The individuals must also provide proof of vaccination prior to travel and a paper or digital copy of their vaccination documentation upon arrival as well as a suitable quarantine plan.

Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino told reporters Monday that anyone with an approved confirmation of permanent residency are now eligible travel to Canada.

What's next: Hajdu said more specifics on Covid restrictions will be coming, but she did not specify when.

"We'll come back to Canadians in the near future on what kinds of metrics will allow us to have the confidence to reduce measures even further," she said.