Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has agreed to end mandatory vaccines and random testing of travellers at the border, as well as making the controversial ArriveCAN optional. But the mask mandate could remain in place for now. The CBC this afternoon quoted a senior government source as saying the agrees with his Cabinet, which the Toronto Star said had voted unanimously to make the changes. CTV News and the Toronto Star both said two government sources told them the same thing. The network said an announcement was likely on Monday, but that Cabinet was still debating the mask mandate as of Read more
Canada
This may be the strongest report yet that Canada’s travel rules are about to change. The Globe and Mail today reports that Ottawa will drop the COVID-19 vaccine requirement and end random testing on September 30, as well as make the controversial ArriveCAN app an optional feature. The Globe said the changes haven’t been finalized by Cabinet, but that rules are set to change ten days from now. The paper said it got its information from four unnamed sources. The paper also said the mask requirement will remain in place for passengers on trains and planes, at least for now. Read more
A grand dame of Montreal hotels has been given a stylish makeover. Le Centre Sheraton Montreal, located in the heart of the city, is practically a brand new hotel, with top-to-bottom renovations recently completed. They’ve given the newly designed rooms a warm, residential feel, which is very welcoming. Our room on a recent stay was done up in cool shades of taupe and grey. We had a comfy chair in the corner and also one of the new Sheraton work tables, which has electrical outlets and phone charging outlets on top and can be moved up and down; allowing you Read more
Today’s travel notebook looks at a variety of subjects, including WestJet trimming flights to Halifax and other cities in Atlantic Canada, a new, long flight between New York City and New Zealand, and the slow opening of Japan to tourism. WEST JET TO TRIM ATLANTIC CANADA FLIGHTS The CBC reports that WestJet, which announced earlier this year it would retrench and focus more on Western Canada, has cut fliights to several cities in Atlantic Canada. Flights between Halifax and Montreal will be suspended Oct. 28, while flights from Halifax to Ottawa and St. John’s will be suspended in early January. Read more
There are more signs today that the Justin Trudeau government is set to drop vaccine mandates and put an end to the unpopular ArriveCAN app, perhaps within the next two weeks. The mask mandate for flights within Canada also appears up for debate. Writing in the Toronto Sun today, columnist Brian Lilley reports that “The ArriveCan app may no longer be mandatory and other remaining travel requirements and restrictions for air travel in Canada could soon be removed. If all goes well, masking could even be made optional within the next few weeks.” Lilley said he’s had conversations with senior Read more
