Airline industry, travellers rejoice over lifting of COVID-19 border restrictions
Ottawa announced Monday it will officially lift all COVID-19 border restrictions as of Oct. 1, a move that's been called for by those within the airline industry for months.
The ArriveCAN app will become optional, random testing at airports will go away and travellers will not need to provide their vaccination status.
Mask mandates on planes, trains and buses will also be scrapped.
Andy Gibbons, WestJet’s vice-president of government relations and regulatory affairs, says the company supports the government’s change of direction.
“We feel heard today. These changes are long overdue,” said Gibbons.
“If you are a frontline aviation employee, whether it's a pilot, flight attendant or (gate) agent, you have been through a lot in the last few years.”
There have been more than 1,100 reported incidents of mask non-compliance on WestJet planes this year, an increase from 2021.
Last week, the airline said those situations have caused one air turn-back, nine gate turn-backs and 74 flights to reopen the cabin door after boarding, to offload unruly guests.
The government says the removal of these border measures is the result of modelling indicating Canada has "largely passed" the peak of the Omicron wave of infections; Canada's high vaccination and lower hospitalization and death rates; and the availability of boosters, rapid tests and treatments.
However, the federal health minister has not closed the door on restrictions coming back.
“The Government of Canada will maintain the ability to re-establish certain border measures, should they be required in the future,” said Jean-Yves Duclos.
Transportation Minister Omar Alghabra says the government’s approach to restrictions was rooted in science.
“We’ve always maintained that the extraordinary measures we introduced at our borders, and on airplanes, trains and boats, are temporary,” he said.
Calgary’s Airport Authority says the last two and a half years have been difficult, but they are on the road to recovery.
“If you had a choice of a nine- or 15-hour flight on an American carrier or a European carrier, without a mask, or a Canadian carrier with a mask, it discouraged Canadians from booking with Canadian carriers,” said Bob Sartor, president and CEO.
“We will be about 80 per cent recovered from 2019’s record by the end of this year. We're already moving along quite nicely. We are the most recovered of the eight large airports in the country.”
In 2019, YYC saw more than 18 million guests travel through, and Sartor expects the same or close to that by the end of the year.
Sartor predicts Calgary will smash records in the next few years, forecasting more than 20 million passengers flying in and out.
North Floridian Mark Rains landed in Calgary on Monday for a hunting trip.
He says he’s glad he will not have to wear a mask or use ArriveCAN the next time he comes to Canada.
“I think a little bit of common sense,” said Rains.
“It takes a little bit too long getting in here. I'm glad to see Canada do that. That's a great thing.”
Dr. Isaac Bogoch, an infectious-disease specialist, says the use of masks should be considered a valuable tool in preventing the spread of COVID-19, even if it's now an optional measure.
"I think it’s important to recognize that masking is helpful, especially in indoor environments, where we know the vast majority of COVID is transmitted," said Bogoch.
"We know it’s transmitted primarily through the air between people and masking can reduce the risk of transmission."
Bogoch says it's not lost on him that some might be uncomfortable with this, but they should do it anyway.
"In indoor environments, you heard this announcement. It was very clear that they strongly recommend that people wear masks," said Bogoch.
"While travelling on planes, I’m not sure if people will do so, but it's still strongly recommended."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
Customers disappointed after email listing $60K Tim Hortons prize sent in error
Several Tim Horton’s customers are feeling great disappointment after being told by the company that an email stating they won a boat worth nearly $60,000 was sent in error.
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter banned from NBA
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been handed a lifetime ban from The National Basketball Association (NBA) following an investigation which found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, the league says.
House admonishes ArriveCan contractor in rare parliamentary show of power
MPs enacted an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power on Wednesday, summonsing an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons where he was admonished publicly and forced to provide answers to the questions MPs said he'd previously evaded.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
Attempt to have murder charge quashed against alleged serial killer dismissed by judge
A motion filed by the man accused of killing four Indigenous women in Winnipeg to have one of those murder charges quashed has been dismissed by the judge – weeks before the start of his trial.
Government proposes new policy for federally regulated employees to disconnect from work
In their 2024 budget, the federal government wants to amend the Canada Labour Code, so employers in federally regulated sectors will eliminate work-related communication with employees outside of scheduled hours. If implemented, this would affect roughly 500,000 employees across the country.
Earthquake jolts southern Japan
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 hit southern Japan late on Wednesday, said the Japan Meteorological Agency, without issuing a tsunami warning.