Industry News > Prime Minister Warns of Tighter Travel Restrictions

Prime Minister Warns of Tighter Travel Restrictions

by Jo-Anne Liburd, posted on 6:32 AM, January 25, 2021

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau urged Canadians to avoid travel, even within the country, on Friday and advised that more strict rules, such as mandatory quarantining at hotels for people returning or coming to Canada, are being considered to help curb the growth of COVID-19 cases. The government's continued position is that this is no time to be taking a trip abroad, especially a non-essential trip or a vacation.

The PM said the government would share more about any new measures in the days to come. There is the possibility that new, tougher measures could take effect with little or no warning, making it much more difficult for Canadians to come home after a trip. The government advised however that tougher measures would help to slow the number of Canadians and Americans flying between the two countries while land borders are closed to all but essential travel.

"A loophole, frankly, does exist because the Americans previously had not placed any restriction on international flights coming into the US," said Bill Blair, Minister of Public Safety. "That concerns us because that restriction is at our land border but not at air travel."

It appears that various measures are on the table, including invoking the federal Emergencies Act in a bid to limit travel.