Saskatchewan has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with North Dakota to vaccinate workers who are transporting goods across the the U.S-Canada border along with essential energy workers.

On Tuesday, the SaskParty government announced that approximately 2,000 Saskatchewan residents will be eligible for the program.

Starting Wednesday, Saskatchewan truckers will be able to get their first shot at a rest stop near Drayton, ND. In the coming days, another vaccination site will be set-up near the North Portal border crossing located south of Estevan.

During Tuesday’s provincial COVID update, Premier Scott Moe thanked North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum and the state for sharing their vaccine supply with Saskatchewan and Canada. Moe added that the state most certainty understands that getting vaccinated does not just protect yourself, it protects your neighbour.

North Dakota’s rest area near Drayton is currently vaccinating Manitoba-based truckers. The program offering vaccines to Manitoba workers began last week. That’s when talks to expand the program between Saskatchewan and North Dakota were taking place.

Tuesday’s news came on a day in which the Saskatchewan reported 224 new infections, 238 recoveries and six new deaths.