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Canada set to announce new travel rules as soon as tomorrow – Canada Immigration News
Canada could announce its new COVID-19 travel measures as soon as tomorrow.
Canada introduced travel restrictions in March 2020 and has been extending them on a monthly basis throughout 2021. The country has taken a gradual approach to lifting restrictions.
Generally speaking, those now allowed to travel into the country include Canadian citizens, permanent residents, new immigrants, temporary foreign workers, international students, and family members of Canadians.
Those who remain excluded include tourists from the U.S. and tourists from the rest of the world. Flights to Canada from India have been banned since April.
The border restrictions expire on July 21 however prime minister Justin Trudeau’s office said Thursday night that the new rules would be announced “early next week” which suggests the measures will be public by Tuesday at the latest, a day before the current measures expire.
Thanks to the statement by Trudeau’s office, we now have a strong sense of what the new rules will entail. The one uncertainty remains India, with the Canadian government remaining coy on when it plans to lift its India flight ban.
What we do know is the government’s intentions on allowing tourists into the country.
Trudeau’s office says its goal is to allow fully-vaccinated U.S. citizens and permanent residents to enter the country as tourists by mid-August.
It is seeking to welcome fully-vaccinated tourists from the rest of the world by early September.
The caveat is that this depends on Canada maintaining its high rate of vaccinations and keeping its COVID-19 case count low.
Following a slow start Canada has emerged as a global leader in vaccination rates. Canadian government data show some 80 per cent of Canada’s 12-years-and-older population has received at least one vaccine dose while over 40 per cent are fully vaccinated. July 15 data shows Canada recorded over 400 new COVID cases the prior day.
Canada’s daily COVID case count was at its highest in April 2021 when it exceeded 9,000 new daily cases. However a stronger vaccine supply has resulted in lower cases and provinces across the country relaxing their social distancing guidelines.
Last month Canada announced that all Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) Holders (i.e., newly approved immigrants) were exempt effectively immediately from its travel restrictions. Earlier this month Canada implemented a new policy exempting fully-vaccinated travellers from needing to quarantine.
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Body believed to be missing B.C. kayaker found in U.S., RCMP say – CBC.ca
The RCMP say a body that was recovered by authorities in Washington state is believed to be one of two kayakers reported missing off Vancouver Island on Saturday.
Const. Alex Bérubé said the identity of the body found on San Juan Island, just south of the border, is still to be confirmed by the coroner.
A search has been underway in the waters off Sidney, B.C., about 25 kilometres north of Victoria, since the two kayakers were reported missing.
RCMP previously said Daniel MacAlpine, 36, and Nicolas West, 26, went missing while kayaking from D’Arcy Island to View Beach on Saturday afternoon. They were in a teal blue, fibreglass, two-person kayak.
Police said members of the Central Saanich Police Department and Peninsula Emergency Measures Organization search and rescue were involved in the search, and the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre and Canadian Coast Guard were also assisting.
News
Some Canadians will be digging out of 25+ cm of snow by Friday – The Weather Network
Digital WritersThe Weather Network
Prepare for multiple rounds of April snowfall this week, as Labrador braces for wintry conditions. This onslaught of snow is expected to blanket the region, potentially leading to hazardous travel conditions and disruptions throughout the week
As we march even deeper into the heart of the spring season, many parts of Canada are finding it tough to find any consistent signs of warming weather. Add to the mix periods of snow and wintry precipitation, and it’s safe to say the winter season is certainly not going out without a strong fight.
This week, parts of the East Coast will bear the brunt of the winter weather, with multiple rounds of April snowfall stacking up in Labrador. The chances for snow flurries will stick around all week long, bringing as much as 25 cm for some.
MUST SEE: Extreme pattern over Arctic produces 50+ degree temperature spread
Although 25+ cm of snow in April may seem extreme, for this part of the country, it’s definitely nothing out of the ordinary. In fact, the month as a whole brings about 40-50 cm of snow to Labrador on average.
Some communities, including Nain, even have snowfall chances stretch all the way into June!
“This week will be a little bit different however, as some regions could reach about half of Labrador’s monthly averages alone,” says Rachel Modestino, a meteorologist at The Weather Network. “The first round on Tuesday will pack quite the punch, with heavy snow and gusty winds stretching from Labrador city to the coast.”
Winds will be gusting between 70-90 km/h at times, and travel conditions will likely deteriorate quickly due to potential whiteouts and reduced visibility.
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Fire at building under construction in north-end Halifax quickly extinguished – CBC.ca
Witnesses described hearing a loud blast and seeing large plumes of black smoke on Tuesday morning as a building under construction in Halifax’s north end caught fire.
A message on Halifax’s alert system said the fire was at a building in the area of Robie and St Albans streets. About an hour later, the municipality said the fire was out.
The alert warned people who live on the peninsula to close their windows due to smoke from the fire possibly being toxic.
“Residents and businesses near the fire should still keep windows closed and air exchangers turned off until air quality conditions improve in the coming hours as a precaution,” the municipality said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Halifax Regional Police were asking people to avoid the area during what is normally a time of heavy morning traffic.
James Shaw lives nearby. He said he heard a blast around 8:20 a.m. local time.
“It shook the whole house,” Shaw said in an interview at the scene. “So I came outside … and saw this incredible building here on fire. Big black smoke. Lots of sparks and stuff going.”
Mike Clark was working on the building adjacent to the one that caught fire. He said he was on the 30th floor when the roof of the other building caught fire and propane tanks blew up.
He said construction crews were then evacuated from the building.
“The elevator was shut down and everyone went down the stairs and out the door,” he said. “Everybody on each floor has a horn to check if anybody was left in the building. Sounded the horn and walked down. It was very organized.”
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