Canada’s COVID-19 international travel restrictions not discussed in premier’s meeting

Don’t hold your breath if you’ve been waiting for Canadian COVID-19 border restrictions to change at the premiers’ request. 

Despite Spring Break nearing and several provinces signalling their intention to do away with some, if not all, remaining COVID-19 health restrictions — this has still not been top of the Council of the Federation’s agenda. 

This council is made of Canadian premiers of provinces and territories who said Friday it wouldn’t be pressing the federal government to ease border restrictions. 

But as provinces like Alberta and Saskatchewan take the lead in signalling moves to end restrictions, it’s clear change is in the air. 

“As we come to this place of moving in the next number of weeks to potentially ‘endemic’ rather than ‘pandemic,’ we need to reimagine the tools at our disposal as citizens and as provinces,” B.C.’s Premier John Horgan, who chairs the group, said.

Horgan added that the council didn’t talk to the feds about borders in the previous meeting; however, he said, “I’ll pick that up. I’ll see what I can learn about any changes coming.”

“We did talk about interprovincial issues and how we all steadfastly support the mobility of Canadians the right to go from coast to coast to coast.

“We don’t believe that closing borders internally is a solution, but we have also been calling on the federal government in the early stages of the pandemic to monitor and manage our international borders,” he added.

AB Premier @jkenney saying current travel restrictions are not serving their purpose.
He is calling for end to 72 hour pre departure testing, return testing, quarantine for returning children and global travel advisory#bcpoli @CityNewsVAN #cdnpoli

— LizaYuzda (@LizaYuzda) February 4, 2022

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney was the only one on Friday to publicly call for sweeping changes to Canada’s border restrictions, including the federal warning against international travel, a negative PCR requirement to return to Canada, and children must quarantine for two weeks.

“With respect to travel, there are many jurisdictions around the world that have adopted more common sense travel protocols than we have now in place in Canada, recognizing the nature of the current nature of COVID-19 and Omicron. For example, we have tens of millions of people between Canada, the United States with current Omicron infections. And so the notion that we can interrupt or reduce community transmission through very rigid travel protocols, I think is unrealistic,” he explained.

“We don’t think these measures are effective in the current context.”

Kenney added he hopes the federal government is keeping in mind that there are two of the hardest-hit industries, travel and tourism, that have been “significantly impaired” through the pandemic.

As it stands there is a federal warning against international travel, a negative PCR requirement to return to Canada and children must quarantine for two weeks.

The PCR test exception for quick trips across the border for essential good following the B.C. storms ended this week.

Related articles:

• COVID-19 exemptions at border due to B.C. flooding end Jan. 31

• Stranded B.C. traveller takes on 14-hour drive through U.S. to get home after highways flooded

• Border exemptions for British Columbians otherwise stranded by floods

Any changes to the testing and vaccine requirements for international travel would depend on the epidemiological situation as well health-care capacity, Canada’s chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam has said.

“At the domestic level, cases have been beginning to come down and hospitalizations [are] still going up in many areas,” Tam said. 

It’s quite difficult to reduce public health measures when health-care systems have limited ability to cope with higher caseloads, she said.

“At the same time, we need to begin to plan forwards for when this particular wave recedes and be ready.”

Related articles:

• Confusion at the border: British Columbians ticketed for seeking essential goods, gas amid floods

• Exemptions exist for British Columbians needing to drive to U.S. for fuel, food

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe has said he’s committed to ending all COVID-19 restrictions soon, even while COVID-19-related hospitalizations are at their highest level since the pandemic began.

Ontario and Quebec, which have seen a slight decline in COVID-19-related hospitalizations this week, have both eased some restrictions. However, scientists and health officials in those two provinces have warned that cases will likely rise again as partial reopenings progress.

Newfoundland and Labrador is set loosen restrictions on businesses and group sizes on Monday, though Premier Andrew Furey, who is also an orthopedic surgeon, said that any changes must be done with caution.

High-level discussions about COVID-19 restrictions are happening against the backdrop of several anti-mandate protests cropping up across Canada, including a demonstration in Ottawa that local politicians have taken to calling an “occupation.”

Protesters who have blocked streets and blared loud noises in the capital for more than a week have refused to leave until the prime minister agrees to put an end to all public health restrictions. Many of those restrictions fall under the jurisdiction of provinces, not the federal government. 

Tam’s deputy, Dr. Howard Njoo, said in French that it’s not a good idea to do away with health measures too quickly and that Canada should be cautious in its approach.