Canada is once again extending emergency orders that place restrictions on international travel and make mandatory 14-day quarantines for anyone entering the country during the novel coronavirus pandemic. The orders will be extended for at least another month, the government said.
“Our government is extending the existing restrictions on international travel to Canada by one month — until September 30, 2020 — to limit the introduction and spread of COVID-19 in our communities,” said Public Safety Minister Bill Blair in a Tweet sent out Friday afternoon.
“Canadian citizens and permanent residents returning to Canada will continue to be subject to strict quarantine measures.”
The ongoing restrictions prohibit all non-essential or discretionary travel to Canada from countries other than the United States. This includes any leisure travel, such as vacation and entertainment travel, for non-Canadian citizens or permanent residents.
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Our government is extending the existing restrictions on international travel to Canada by one month – until September 30, 2020 – to limit the introduction and spread of COVID-19 in our communities. (1/2)
Canadians who choose to travel abroad, including to the U.S., will be required to self-isolate upon their return. Essential workers, including health-care professionals, airline crews and commercial truckers will continue to be exempt from quarantine measures.
Friday’s announcement also does not affect the Canada-U.S. land border, which remains closed to all non-essential travel until Sept. 21.
Increase in international air travel
Despite ongoing travel restrictions, the number of international travellers arriving in Canada by air has increased significantly since the first months of the pandemic.
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As Global News reported, the number of international passengers arriving at Canadian airports increased from roughly 15,000 a week in late April, to 45,000 a week by early July.
The most recent statistics, provided by the Canada Border Services Agency, show that roughly 60,000 international passengers arrived in Canada each week during August. This includes travellers on flights from the U.S.
Collin Furness, an epidemiologist and infectious disease specialist at the University of Toronto, has expressed concern about the growing number of international travellers coming to Canada. He believes the government hasn’t done enough to restrict non-essential travel and to clearly define what “essential” travel means.
2:01 Risks of COVID-19 exposure through air travel
Risks of COVID-19 exposure through air travel
The government, meanwhile, says it’s up to individuals to determine what non-essential travel means “based on family or business requirements, knowledge of a country or region, and other factors.”
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And while experts such as Furness have warned against increased non-essential travel, Canadian airlines have pressed the government for fewer restrictions and a loosening of quarantine measures.
Mike McNaney, president of the National Airlines Council of Canada, told Global News on Aug. 14 that he believes Canada should begin taking a “risk-based approach” to reopening the border, rather than having a blanket ban on international travel.
McNaney said other countries, including members of the European Union, have started easing restrictions for countries deemed to be safe and with protocols in place for tracking and monitoring any potential outbreaks of COVID-19.
“We believe the time is appropriate here in Canada for the federal government to also look at that very targeted, specific approach,” McNaney said.
KITCHENER, Ont. – Prosecutors are arguing a man who stabbed a professor and two students in a University of Waterloo gender studies class last year should face a lengthy sentence because of the attack’s lasting impact on campus safety and security.
Federal prosecutor Althea Francis says a sentence in the upper range is appropriate not only because Geovanny Villalba-Aleman wanted to send a message about his views but also because he sought to make those with different beliefs feel unsafe.
The Crown has said it is seeking a sentence of 16 years for Villalba-Aleman, who pleaded guilty to four charges in the June 2023 campus attack.
The sentencing hearing for Villalba-Aleman began Monday and is expected to continue all week.
Federal prosecutors argued Tuesday that Villalba-Aleman’s statement to police, and a manifesto that was found on his phone, show his actions were motivated by ideology and meant to intimidate a segment of the population.
Villalba-Aleman pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated assault, one count of assault with a weapon and one count of assault causing bodily harm.
A video of his statement to police was shown in court earlier in the sentencing hearing.
In the video, Villalba-Aleman told police he felt colleges and universities were imposing ideology and restricting academic freedom, and he wanted the attack to serve as a “wake-up call.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 23, 2024.
OTTAWA – The Bank of Canada cut its key policy interest rate by 50 basis points on Wednesday to bring it to 3.75 per cent. Here’s what people are saying about the decision:
“High inflation and interest rates have been a heavy burden for Canadians. With inflation now back to target and interest rates continuing to come down, families, businesses and communities should feel some relief.” — Tiff Macklem, Bank of Canada governor.
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“Activity in Canada’s housing market has been sluggish in many regions due to higher borrowing costs, but today’s more aggressive cut to lending rates could cause the tide to turn quickly. For those with variable rate mortgages – who will benefit from the rate drop immediately – or those with fast-approaching loan renewals, today’s announcement is welcome news indeed.” — Phil Soper, president and CEO of Royal LePage.
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“This won’t be the end of rate cuts. Even with the succession of policy cuts since June, rates are still way too high given the state of the economy. To bring rates into better balance, we have another 150 bps in cuts pencilled in through 2025. So while the pace of cuts going forward is now highly uncertain, the direction for rates is firmly downwards.” — James Orlando, director and senior economist at TD Bank.
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“The size of the December rate cut will depend on upcoming job and inflation data, but a 25 basis point cut remains our baseline.” — Tu Nguyen, economist with assurance, tax and consultancy firm RSM Canada.
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“Today’s outsized rate cut is mostly a response to the heavy-duty decline in headline inflation in the past few months. However, the underlying forecast and the Bank’s mild tone suggest that the future default moves will be 25 bp steps, unless growth and/or inflation surprise again to the downside.” — Douglas Porter, chief economist at Bank of Montreal.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 23, 2024.
