Speculation mounts over possible change to Canada’s non-essential travel rules

Editor’s note: Canada reinstated the advisory on non-essential international travel on Dec.15, 2022.

Read the latest: Canada recommends against non-essential international travel 

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called an urgent meeting with the premiers Tuesday evening to discuss the COVID-19 Omicron variant, and travel over the holidays will be a focus.

Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos said concerns were raised at a cabinet meeting about travel amid an increase of confirmed cases of the variant in Canada.

“We will be considering, obviously, the rapidly-emerging information on the transmissibility of the variant, what it implies abroad, but it also what it implies within Canada,” he said.

“We are considering all options, and all actions. That requires a conversation between the premiers, and the prime minister is going to have that conversation very soon.”

I just spoke with Premier @JJHorgan, as Chair of the Council of the Federation. We’re going to convene a meeting as soon as possible with the premiers to address Omicron and make sure we’re working together to keep you safe as we head into the holidays. We’ve got your back.

— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) December 14, 2021

Federal Transport Minister Omar Alghabra was also asked about travel measures.

“We are constantly reviewing the data from Omicron, and discussing what next to do,” he said.

There is speculation restrictions at the Canada-U.S. land border may ramp back up, prohibiting non-essential travel once again.

Since the emergence of Omicron, the feds have already banned travel from 10 African nations and put in place new testing and isolation rules at the border, even for vaccinated travellers.

While no details out of the meetings have been revealed at this point, there are suggestions announcements will be coming out of Ottawa Wednesday morning.

In a statement Tuesday night, Trudeau’s office said he consulted premiers on additional border and travel measures to help mitigate the spread of the Omicron variant.

“First Ministers discussed the importance of remaining vigilant with strong public health guidelines, and premiers noted the measures they are implementing in their respective jurisdictions. The Prime Minister and premiers agreed that the key to moving beyond this pandemic is ensuring that as many Canadians as possible, including children, get vaccinated and have access to booster shots, particularly our most vulnerable,” the statement reads.

“The Prime Minister noted that the federal government has secured enough vaccine doses for all eligible Canadians to receive first, second, and third doses.”

This is a developing story and CityNews will provide you with those details once they become available. Check back for updates.