Following months of restrictions brought on by the COVID pandemic, the travel industry is now attempting to resume some semblance of normalcy.
Each nation tried to come up with its own solution to the problem, balancing the need to protect its citizens in a rapidly evolving health environment with the need to resume business and leisure air traffic to support the economy.
Canada took a highly cautious approach right away, enforcing a mandated 14-day quarantine for anyone entering the nation from February to July 2021.
This was swiftly followed by a rule prohibiting anyone who was not completely immunized from boarding any airline, train, or long-distance transport in the country.
The very contentious mandate was put into effect in May 2021, and it was only recently that the Canadian government decided to postpone it as of June 20 along with the demand that all personnel under federal regulation be immunized to execute their duties.
All workers in Canada’s banking, telecommunications, and transportation industries are subject to federal regulation.
This move will allow non-vaccinated people to board a domestic plane and leave the country if they choose to do so, but “because vaccination rates and virus control in other countries varies significantly, current vaccination requirements at the border will remain in effect”, said Transport Canada in an official note.
While long-distance buses no longer require masks, everyone going by plane, train, or automobile must still wear one.
Due to “the fact that passengers are in close contact with one other for extended periods of time,” vaccinations will still be mandatory for passengers and crew on cruise ships.
