Restrictions are being eased in two Canadian provinces popular with tourists. Ontario Premier Doug Ford today said his province will end its COVID-19 vaccine passport system beginning on March 1, and that changes for restaurants and other businesses are coming later this week. All capacity limits in restaurants, bars, cinemas and gyms will be lifted as of Thursday, a move that was set to take effect on Feb. 21, the CBC notes. The province of Nova Scotia today entered phase 1 of its’ three-step plan to ease restrictions, upping the limit for informal gatherings and lifting all restrictions for domestic Read more
Doug Ford
A new survey by online travel agency CheapOair.ca finds that Ontario residents are woefully unaware of the province’s Ontario Staycation tax credit. The company today released the results of a new survey geared at Ontario travellers in an effort to better understand the perception towards the recently unveiled Ontario ‘Staycation’ Tax Credit, while also gauging 2022 travel perception and concerns as restrictions are slowly lifted. The CheapOair.ca Travel Perceptions study found that more than 66 percent of respondents were not aware of the Ontario Staycation tax credit. Unsurprisingly, interest in travelling is increasing, and more than 55 per cent of Read more
The head of the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO) says it’s “positive” that some of its members will be able to re-open with limited capacity later this month. But he says that doesn’t equal recovery. With the Omicron variant seemingly easing in Ontario, Premier Doug Ford on Thursday announced a “phased approach” to reopening. Restrictions will ease starting Jan. 31 and run into March, Ford said. “It is positive news that many of our TIAO members will now be able re-open, albeit at reduced capacity from Jan 31,” TIAO President and CEO Christopher Bloore said in an email to Read more
Ontario is moving back to a modified Stage 2 COVID-19 plan, which means no indoor dining at bars and restaurants. Premier Doug Ford today said he knows the policies will cause pain for businesses and individuals, but that Ontario health officials were alarmed by the rising number of COVID-19 in the province and was worried about hospitals being overwhelmed. School kids will return to on-line classes until at least January 17, Ford said. Ford said the changes will come into effect on Wednesday, January 5 at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time and will be “time limited.” Ontario Health officials said they Read more
Ontario Premier Doug Ford says Canada’s provincial premiers will discuss mandatory testing for visitors arriving from the United States. “We’re going to be super cautious; everything is on the table,” Ford told reporters today at the opening of a new hospital in Mississauga, Ontario. “We’ll sit down and discuss that.” “It doesn’t take much to get a test at the airport,” he said. Ford said he was pleased that the Trudeau government on Tuesday announced it will require on-arrival testing for all passengers coming from destinations other than the U.S. That’s in addition to requiring visitors and Canadians to be Read more
