The government of Canada says it’s bringing in new rules to protect passengers from cancelled or delayed flights. Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said that, as the Canadian aviation industry continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, and more and more Canadians are choosing to travel by air, it’s especially important that travellers are treated with fairness and respect. “I am pleased to see that the Canadian Transportation Agency’s new Regulations Amending the Air Passenger Protection Regulations are now finalized,” he said in a statement issued today by the Trudeau government. “These regulations require that refunds be provided for cancelled flights or Read more
Justin Trudeau
The federal government says airport lineups are improving across the country. A statement from senior ministers in Ottawa says wait times at security lines continue to go down at Toronto Pearson International Airport, with about 91% of passengers now being screened within 15 minutes. Calgary International Airport also saw a slight overall improvement, with about 86% of passengers now screened within 15 minutes. About 84% of passengers were screened within 15 minutes at Vancouver International Airport, which is fewer than the previous week, but still a significant improvement since mid-May. About 85% of passengers were screened within 15 minutes at Read more
Mandatory vaccination rules for Canadians travelling domestically on airplanes and trains are no longer in effect. As today, June 20, Canadians can board a plane in Canada and not have to show proof of vaccination. Departing international passengers also can skip the vaccination proof display. But foreign travellers still need to show proof of vaccination to enter Canada, while unvaccinated Canadians returning home are still be required to quarantine. Depending on what destination they’re visiting, Canadians also might need proof of vaccination to enter another country. Other entry requirements are staying in place, including the requirement to fill out the Read more
Mayors in Canadian border cities say the federal goverment’s ArriveCAN app is discouraging American visitors from coming into the country. They’re asking Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to scrap the program. What’s happening right now is Americans are showing up in the minivan with their family at the border with no knowledge of the ArriveCAN app,” Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati said. “There’s a lineup of cars behind them. They can’t get into the country.” Diodati said his city depends on tourism. He estimated that some 10 million Americans would cross the border into Niagara Falls, Ontario every year before the Read more
Tourism officials say Canada’s new vaccination rules are a good start, but that the government hasn’t gone nearly far enough to boost the travel industry. The Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO), the Canadian Travel and Tourism Roundtable and the Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses (CFIB) put out statements saying more moves are needed. “As the pandemic has evolved and new tools have emerged to control the impact of COVID-19, TIAO has been advocating for government to remove barriers to travel,” officials said. “TIAO welcomes today’s announcement as an important step towards normalizing travel; it will help increase inter-provincial travel Read more
