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Canada suspends sun flights, insists on COVID tests, quarantine for air travellers
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau holds a press conference at Rideau Cottage in Ottawa on Friday, Jan. 29, 2021., to provide an update on the COVID-19 pandemic.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick January 29, 2021 - 4:38 PM
OTTAWA - Winter-weary Canadians eyeing a vacation were told to spike travel plans Friday as Ottawa cancelled flights to popular sun destinations, and ordered all arrivals to test for COVID-19 and swallow hefty quarantine costs.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the new restrictions are meant to discourage non-essential travel and reduce the spread of more infectious variants that could send domestic case counts soaring.
OTTAWA Winter-weary Canadians eyeing a vacation were told to spike travel plans Friday as Ottawa cancelled flights to popular sun destinations, ordered all arrivals to test for COVID-19, and swallow hefty quarantine costs.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the new restrictions are meant to discourage non-essential travel to all destinations and reduce the spread of more infectious variants that could send domestic case counts soaring.
“With the challenges we currently face with COVID-19, both here at home and abroad, we all agree that now is just not the time to be flying,” Trudeau said Friday from outside Rideau Cottage.
“By putting in place these tough measures now, we can look forward to a better time when we can all plan those vacations.”
UPDATE: Airlines cancel flights to Caribbean and Mexico, Trudeau announces new travel restrictions
(UPDATE: Jan. 29 @ 8:40 am): Major Canadian airlines have agreed to cancel air service to the Caribbean and Mexico.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hailed the airlines – Air Canada, WestJet, Sunwing and Air Transat – for making the move.
It will be effective from Sunday and last until April 30, Trudeau said.
He also said all Canadian travellers returning from overseas will have to take a COVID−19 PCR test at the airport and quarantine in a designated hotel for three days at their own expense while they await results.
The process – set to come into effect for travellers in the coming weeks – is expected to cost travellers more than $2,000, Trudeau said.
Trudeau has been urging Canadians for weeks not to take any non-essential trips outside the country.
And he s been warning that the federal government could impose at any time restrictions that it would make it harder for them to return.
He s expected to follow up those warnings today with concrete action, in time to put a stop to an exodus of winter-weary Canadians taking advantage of the coming March break to vacation in warmer climes.
Quebec Premier Francois Legault has been urging Ottawa to require anyone returning from abroad to quarantine for two weeks in a hotel, at their own expense.