You will have to make alternate arrangements if you were planning a winter escape or a warm March Break getaway.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the government and Canada’s main airlines have agreed to suspend service to sun destinations right away.
“Air Canada, WestJet, Sunwing and Air Transat are cancelling air service to all Caribbean destinations and Mexico starting this Sunday up until April 30.”
Trudeau says the airlines will be making arrangements with their customers who are currently on a trip in these regions to organize their return flights.
He adds the government has committed to work with the major airlines on the future relationship between testing and quarantine requirements.
Trudeau says they are also introducing mandatory PCR testing at airports for people returning to Canada.
He says travellers will then have to wait for up to three days at an approved hotel for their test results at their own expense, which is expected to be in the neighbourhood of $2,000.
Trudeau states “Those with negative test results will then be able to quarantine at home under significantly increased surveillance and enforcement. Those with positive tests will be immediately required to quarantine in designated government facilities.”
No start date on this measure has been announced but Trudeau says he would like to see it begin “as soon as possible.”
As well starting next week all International passenger flights must land only at airports in Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver.
For those crossing the border by car, Trudeau says in the coming weeks all non-essential travellers will have to show a negative test before entering at the land border with the U.S.
He adds the government will introduce additional testing requirements for land travel.
The new travel measures are meant to help curb the spread of COVID-19 and its variants.
