Maple News reports that Canada has introduced sweeping new travel restrictions aimed at reducing the spread of COVID-19 and its highly contagious variants. The announcement, made by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, follows increasing calls from provincial leaders to tighten border controls and discourage non-essential travel.
Effective January 31, Canada’s major airlines—Air Canada, WestJet, Sunwing, and Air Transat—will suspend service to popular vacation destinations in the Caribbean and Mexico. These cancellations will remain in place until at least April 30. Trudeau praised the airlines for collaborating with the federal government to support public health measures.
Starting next week, international air traffic into Canada will be funneled through just four airports: Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal, and Toronto. All arriving passengers will be required to take an on-arrival COVID-19 PCR test. While awaiting test results, travellers must self-isolate at a government-approved hotel for up to three days at their own expense—estimated at approximately $2,000 CAD. If the test is negative, they can complete their 14-day quarantine at home. Those testing positive must transfer to a designated government facility.
Additionally, travellers entering Canada by land from the United States will also be required to take a COVID-19 test upon arrival and present proof of a negative result. These steps aim to further limit the risk posed by international travel, especially with new variants of the virus identified in the UK, South Africa, and Brazil.
The government is responding to growing concern over Spring Break travel, which could become a super-spreader event if left unchecked. Trudeau has urged all Canadians to cancel any non-essential travel and warned of more stringent border measures if necessary.
Canada’s border with the United States—and other international routes—has been under strict regulation since March 2020. The current ban on non-essential foreign travel remains in effect through at least February 21, 2021, and is reviewed on a rolling basis.
Certain categories of travellers remain exempt from these rules, including Canadian citizens, permanent residents, specific temporary foreign workers, international students, and immediate and extended family members of Canadians.
As the country continues to grapple with the pandemic, these new measures signal a proactive effort to keep communities safe while managing international mobility.