Canada Could Soon Ease Travel Restrictions

On June 10, the Canadian government announced that it expects to ease COVID-19 quarantine restrictions for Canadians entering the country in early July. Under the new rules, fully vaccinated Canadians arriving by air won’t have to quarantine in a government-designated hotel and will be allowed to quarantine at home for the required 14 days instead.

In a press release, Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters said the plan did not go far enough. It urged the national government to provide that:

• Current critical infrastructure essential worker travel exemptions for quarantine and not having to stay at hotels, regardless of vaccination status, be upheld;
• The list of essential worker occupations and reasons for travel be extended to include all types of business travel; and
• The multiple testing requirements for fully vaccinated essential workers be dropped.

Meanwhile, Politico reported that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government has signaled it could start easing COVID-19 travel restrictions as soon as June 22 if the country’s vaccination campaign stays on its current trajectory. Niagara Falls, Ontario Mayor Jim Diodati told Politico that Public Safety Minister Bill Blair delivered the message during a recent virtual meeting of border mayors. The news comes after business groups on both sides of the border increased their calls for reopening.

Additionally, Crain’s Detroit Business, reported a new poll from Nanos Research Group found fewer Canadians are wary of reopening the U.S. border. While 53 percent of respondents remain somewhat uncomfortable with easing restrictions on U.S. travel, that number is down from closer to 80 percent earlier in the pandemic.