Canada to further discourage non-essential travel with new measures
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reiterated his message discouraging international travel, saying that new measures will be announced soon.
On Tuesday, Trudeau said for the last year the country has implemented various measures to protect Canadians from COVID-19.
“Canada’s borders have been closed to foreign travellers, our border measures are strict, and they’re working. Right now, a small proportion [of cases] are caused by Canadians coming back to the country. But we know every case is a case too many, this is not a time for travelling. All options are on the table, and we will be announcing new measures very soon.”
Trudeau said that residents should cancel plans to travel to the south, as the US just mandated that a negative COVID-19 test is required to fly into the states.
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The prime minister emphasized that Canada has some of the strictest measures and have had their borders closed to all non-citizens and residents since March 2020. There is also a two-week quarantine and a mandatory negative test needed before flying home.
“These measures work. They’re saving lives.”
When asked why the prime minister is waiting to announce the new measures, he said that they’re trying to choose the right option and not disrupt supply chains.
“When looking into new measures to ensure Canadians can be protected, it is complicated, and we need to make sure it is done the right way.”
Discouraging non-essential travel is a message Trudeau has been repeating as of late.
Last week he hinted at new measures, and on January 19, he told Canadians, “Cancel your trip.”
“It’s not the time to be travelling abroad. If you had planned to leave the country, please, on behalf of all Canadians, cancel your trip. It’s not worth catching COVID-19 and bringing it back to Canada for a trip down south or elsewhere,” he said at the time.
Earlier this month, the federal government implemented stricter travel measures requiring all air travellers bound for Canada to present a pre-departure negative COVID-19 test in order to fly.
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