As the COVID-19 pandemic drags on and provinces ease their lockdown restrictions, travel is opening up — slowly.
Here’s what you need to know now if you’re yearning to take a trip — in Canada or beyond.
Many Canadians have struggled this summer to figure out where they can vacation in Canada. That’s because each province and territory has created its own travel rules in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and those rules are subject to change.
At this point, Canadians can freely travel to Quebec, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta and B.C. without having to self-isolate for 14 days upon arrival. Visitors to Nova Scotia, Yukon and Manitoba may be required to self-isolate, depending on which part of the country they’re travelling from.
Earlier this month, Canada’s four easternmost provinces created a travel bubble that allows Atlantic Canadians to travel freely within those provinces — with no self-isolation requirement.
Canadians outside that bubble are barred from visiting Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador — unless they meet specific criteria.
For example, P.E.I. and New Brunswick are letting in people who own cottages in the provinces, provided they self-isolate for 14 days.
WATCH | Atlantic bubble allows travel within those four provinces:
Nunavut and the Northwest Territories remain off limits to vacationers from all provinces, with the exception of residents of Churchill, Man., who can enter Nunavut.
To help navigate the varied rules, the Canadian Travel & Tourism Roundtable — a new travel and tourism lobby group — has created an interactive map to assist Canadian travellers.
People can plug in their home province and their potential destination to find out what travel restrictions they may face.
The map also provides links to many provincial websites where Canadians can get the most updated information.
“There is so much confusion,” said roundtable member Steve Sammut, who’s also the CEO of Rocky Mountaineer, a rail-tour company in Western Canada.
“We think it’s important for Canadians to understand what their options are at this point.”
The federal government’s advisory against all non-essential international travel during the pandemic remains in effect until further notice — even as other countries start to open their borders.
“Our priority remains the health and safety of Canadians,” said Global Affairs Canada spokesperson Jason Kung in an email to CBC News.
Because it’s an advisory — not an order — Canadians can still travel abroad, but they do so at their own risk. Global Affairs said it’s not planning any repatriation flights after July. And until the advisory is lifted, international travellers likely won’t be able to purchase medical insurance that covers COVID-19-related illnesses.
“The mentality is, if our own country’s advising us not to travel to the United States or Europe or anywhere right now, then we as insurers shouldn’t be covering [COVID-19],” said Toronto-based insurance broker Martin Firestone.
Canadians must also self-isolate for 14 days upon their return home.
Canadians are still limited to where they can travel. The roundtable’s website lists countries that have opened their borders. They include Greece, Italy, France, Spain, Mexico, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic.
Some listed countries have special requirements. For example, the Bahamas and Aruba require travellers to take a COVID-19 test and submit the result before or upon arrival.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection confirmed on Friday that Canadians can still fly to the U.S., as long as they haven’t visited Brazil, China, Iran, Ireland, the U.K. or 26 European countries in the Schengen Area 14 days prior.
However, the Canada-U.S. land border remains closed to non-essential traffic until Aug. 21 — and that date could be extended.
Canadians will encounter new rules when flying. They must wear face masks when in transit and at many major Canadian airports.
Temperature checks are already underway for flights to Canada, and by September, most passengers travelling by plane from or within Canada will also face checks.
Before booking your flight, note that while airlines have beefed up cleanliness protocols, they’re no longer leaving the middle seat vacant as a safety precaution.
To help stop the spread of COVID-19, Canada restricts foreigners from entering the country for non-essential travel. On June 8, the federal government loosened the restrictions to allow foreigners to visit immediate family in Canada — including spouses and common-law partners.
The roundtable is lobbying Ottawa to formulate a plan to further ease both cross-border and inter-provincial travel restrictions as a way to help boost the beleaguered travel industry.
The coalition argues that Canada can open its borders with minimal risks if proper health and safety measures are implemented.
Those measures could include widespread COVID-19 testing and contact tracing, as well as excluding certain countries, such as the U.S., where COVID-19 cases continue to spike.
“Nobody’s suggesting you throw the borders wide open. It’s more about balance,” said roundtable member Sammut.
The federal government, however, said it’s standing firm for now on its travel restrictions.
“While we strongly recognize that Canada’s tourism sector is facing significant challenges as a result of the COVID-19 [pandemic], our top priority remains the health and safety of Canadians,” Industry Canada spokesperson Hans Parmar said in an email.
He did not comment on inter-provincial border restrictions.
PORT ALBERNI, B.C. – RCMP say the body of a second person has been found inside their vehicle after a road washed away amid pouring rain on the west coast of Vancouver Island.
Police say two vehicles went into the Sarita River when Bamfield Road washed out on Saturday as an atmospheric river hammered southern B.C.
The body of the other driver was found Sunday.
More coming.
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
The B.C. Greens say Sonia Furstenau will be staying on as party leader, despite losing her seat in the legislature in Saturday’s provincial election.
The party says in a statement that its two newly elected MLAs, Jeremy Valeriote and Rob Botterell, support Furstenau’s leadership as they “navigate the prospect of having the balance of power in the legislature.”
Neither the NDP led by Premier David Eby nor the B.C. Conservatives led by John Rustad secured a majority in the election, with two recounts set to take place from Oct. 26 to 28.
Eby says in a news conference that while the election outcome is uncertain, it’s “very likely” that the NDP would need the support of others to pass legislation.
He says he reached out to Furstenau on election night to congratulate her on the Greens’ showing.
But he says the Green party has told the NDP they are “not ready yet” for a conversation about a minority government deal.
The Conservatives went from taking less than two per cent of the vote in 2020 to being elected or leading in 45 ridings, two short of a majority and only one behind the NDP.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2024.
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
Toronto FC captain Jonathan Osorio is making a difference, 4,175 kilometres away from home.
The 32-year-old Canadian international midfielder, whose parents hail from Colombia, has been working with the Canadian Colombian Children’s Organization, a charity whose goal is to help disadvantaged youth in the South American country.
Osorio has worked behind the scenes, with no fanfare.
Until now, with his benevolence resulting in becoming Toronto FC’s nominee for the Audi Goals Drive Progress Impact Award, which honours an MLS player “who showed outstanding dedication to charitable efforts and serving the community” during the 2024 season.”
Other nominees include Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Sebastian Berhalter and CF Montreal goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois.
The winner will be announced in late November.
The Canadian Colombian Children’s Organization (CCCO) is run entirely by volunteers like Monica Figueredo and Claudia Soler. Founded in 1991, it received charitable status in 2005.
The charity currently has four projects on the go: two in Medellin and one each in Armenia and Barranquilla.
They include a school, a home for young girls whose parents are addicted to drugs, after-school and weekend programs for children in a disadvantaged neighbourhood, and nutrition and education help for underprivileged youth.
The organization heard about Osorio and was put in contact with him via an intermediary, which led to a lunch meeting. Osorio did his due diligence and soon got back to the charity with his decision.
“It was something that I wanted to be a part of right away,” said Osorio, whose lone regret is that he didn’t get involved sooner.
“I’m fortunate now that to help more now that I could have back then,” he added. “The timing actually worked out for everybody. For the last three years I have donated to their cause and we’ve built a couple of (football) fields in different cities over there in the schools.”
His father visited one of the sites in Armenia close to his hometown.
“He said it was amazing, the kids, how grateful they are to be able to play on any pitch, really,” said Osorio. “But to be playing on a new pitch, they’re just so grateful and so humble.
“It really makes it worth it being part of this organization.”
The collaboration has also made Osorio take stock.
“We’re very fortunate here in Canada, I think, for the most part. Kids get to go to school and have a roof over their head and things like that. In Colombia, it’s not really the same case. My father and his family grew up in tough conditions, so giving back is like giving back to my father.”
Osorio’s help has been a godsend to the charity.
“We were so surprised with how willing he was,” said Soler.
The TFC skipper has helped pay for a football field in Armenia as well as an ambitious sports complex under construction in Barranquilla.
“It’s been great for them,” Figueredo said of the pitch in Armenia. “Because when they go to school, now they have a proper place to train.”
Osorio has also sent videos encouraging the kids to stay active — as well as shipping soccer balls and signed jerseys their way.
“They know more about Jonathan than the other players in Colombia,” Figueredo said. “That’s the funny part. Even though he’s far away, they’ve connected with him.”
“They feel that they have a future, that they can do more,” she added. “Seeing that was really, really great.”
The kids also followed Osorio through the 2022 World Cup and this summer’s Copa America.
Back home, Osorio has also attended the charity’s annual golf tournament, helping raise funds.
A Toronto native, he has long donated four tickets for every TFC home game to the Hospital for Sick Children.
Vancouver’s Berhalter was nominated for his involvement in the Whitecaps’ partnership with B.C. Children’s Hospital while Montreal’s Sirois was chosen for his work with the Montreal Impact Foundation.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2024.
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