Forget March Break: Trudeau Says Canada Looking at Tougher Travel Measures

January 22, 2021 ctn_admin

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says tough new rules to control travel could be announced in the next few days.

Speaking to the media outside Rideau Cottage in Ottawa on Friday morning, Trudeau suggested that mandatory quarantines at hotels for people returning or coming to Canada – an idea suggested this week by Quebec Premier Francois Legault – is something that’s being considered.

Asked if the government might preclude flights in and out of some airports, Trudeau replied, “As I said a few days ago, this is no time to be taking a trip abroad, especially a non-essential trip or a vacation. We will perhaps be implementing new measures without any warning, and these measures wil make it much more difficult for Canadians to come home after a trip.”

“Why would we do this? Because our priority is always to protect Canadians, particularly when there are now variants of COVID-19 that we are finding across the world,” the PM said. “It’s essential that we come together and protect Canadians.”

Trudeau said Canadians should not avoid beach vacations but trips to other parts of the country. That goes for now, but also for March Break, he said.

That will make things much harder for hotels, airlines, tour operators and others in the tourism and travel business both in Canada and abroad. But Trudeau said the health of Canadians comes first.

Tourism Industry Association of Ontario President and CEO Beth Potter said news like today’s “makes it harder for businesses in our sector to see the light at the end of the tunnel.”

“While we wait to see what comes next, we will continue to advocate for much needed and on-going financial support for the tourism and hospitality industry so that they can survive these restrictions,” she said.

“These measures will only be necessary for a few more months,” Trudeau said. “Vaccines are on the way; they’ll be here by spring and we’ll be entering a new phase of the pandemic then. In the meantime, we must abide by the rules and be careful during these last few months of winter.”

“We will be telling you more in the days to come,” he said. “We’re not excluding” any ideas.

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