Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says any Canadian planning an international trip should cancel it.
Trudeau is warning that while Canadians have the right to travel, the government could at any time, and without warning, enforce new restrictions on travellers returning to Canada.
New variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 add a level of uncertainty that could affect decisions about how to handle international arrivals.
In British Columbia, Dr. Bonnie Henry says that the province has reported COVID-19 variants found in the United Kingdom and in South Africa – the latter case, however, hasn’t been linked to a connection with travelling.
The Public Health Agency of Canada has documented 183 flights arriving in Canada from abroad since Jan. 4 alone, on which at least one passenger had COVID-19.
That includes four flights from London since the ban on incoming flights from the United Kingdom was lifted Jan. 6.
Trudeau would not say when pressed what other measures he is considering, noting only that travellers now must present negative COVID-19 tests before boarding their planes, and still must quarantine for two weeks after arriving.
Last week, the prime minister noted that he was “open to strengthening” international travel measures in the future as COVID-19 continues to present challenges across Canada.
He said the government is keeping a close eye on countries where more easily transmissible strains of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 have broken out.
Earlier this month, a survey by Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies found that 87 per cent of respondents said they would support a total ban on international travel until there are several consecutive days of reduced numbers of COVID-19 cases.
With files to Canadian Press
CHEK News
