BUFFALO, N.Y. — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he may start easing border restrictions within the next few weeks, depending on COVID-19 numbers.

It’s a glimmer of hope, but not a promise, by any means.

If you ask families who have been separated for more than a year because of the border shutdown, Trudeau’s proposal doesn’t come soon enough.

The group “Families Are Essential” were on the Peace Bridge in Buffalo Tuesday to rally for the border to reopen immediately.

Members say they hoped border crossings by land would reopen Tuesday, that is, until Trudeau announced the shutdown would continue. The group is criticizing international leaders for allowing the shutdown to continue, and for ignoring the needs of Americans.

“My president was supposed to do right by the American citizens,” Marcella Picone from Families Are Essential said. “Families are essentials, business-owners are essentials, property owners are essential. There should be no government that tells someone they’re not essential. So President Biden, if you’re listening to this, open up the land border and open it now.”

As of now, the border will remain closed until July 21. That will be about 16 months that people have been barred from visiting family and checking on property in Canada.