Prime Minister
"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."
Trudeau said all arrivals to
He said that requirement, set to take effect "in the coming weeks," could cost each traveller more than
Those with positive tests will isolate in designated government facilities, while those with negative results can serve the rest of the two-week quarantine at home.
The government will be watching to make sure travellers comply.
Travellers must also submit COVID-19 related information electronically daily, and Chief Public Health Officer
Federal officials made it clear that spring break holidays are off the table, and directed strong words at anyone who embarks on a recreational jaunt.
"If they're going to make that choice then they should bear the full cost and responsibility of all the measures that are necessary to keep Canadians safe," said Public Safety Minister
"There are health measures, security measures, testing measures and transport measures, all of which we don't believe that Canadian taxpayers should be on the hook for."
Trudeau said
Airlines will help arrange the return of customers currently on a trip, Trudeau said.
Non-essential travellers will also soon have to show a negative test before entry at the land border with
Trudeau said containing the pandemic will depend on an array of measures, including continued public health measures and vaccines for all, as soon as possible.
However, he admitted
He called it "a temporary delay" that won't derail
"In the short term, those numbers can fluctuate but as global production continues to pick up there will be more stability in the system," he said.
The blow comes as
Conservative Leader
In a statement, O'Toole bemoaned the uncertainty facing airline jobs and the personal toll of repeated lockdowns: "By now, Canadians should know when things are going to get better."
While Trudeau clamped down on international travel, in
With the number of COVID-19 patients in hospital at 594 as of Friday, Kenney said that restaurant dining rooms can reopen, gyms can resume one-on-one training and school-related sports for children can restart as of
"It is important that we show Albertans that there is a path forward," Kenney said. "That if we continue to do, collectively, the right things, bending that curve down further and further reducing pressure on our hospitals, that we can gradually relax public health restrictions."
The move to loosen restrictions in
In B.C., Premier
"Our government had been calling for mandatory quarantine measures to restrict international travel further," he said in a statement.
"We trust the federal government's efforts to monitor and follow up with these travellers will be vigilant."
As of Friday, the provinces reported more than 85 cases of the B.1.1.7. variant first detected in the
Tam said a recent decline in cases brings the average daily count to almost 4,900 over the last seven days, but the number of severe cases remained high, with 855 people in critical care. Deaths averaged 149 each day.
Out east,
Trudeau also said Friday that provinces and territories will get
The new travel rules introduce measures that are already in place in some countries.
Earlier this week, the
Travellers returning to
Trudeau acknowledged the many sacrifices Canadians have already made to contain infections but said difficult measures must still be adopted.
He insisted the government was committed to the safe restart of the tourism sector, when conditions improve.
"We're doing this to keep as many Canadians alive and healthy as we can," he said.
Ford said COVID-19 tests will be imposed on all incoming international travellers while public health labs will ramp up capacity to screen all positive tests for known variants within two to three days of initial processing, starting Wednesday.
Elsewhere, the travel clampdown was welcomed by provinces including
-By
This report by
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