Canada’s latest travel restrictions expected to be announced Friday

OTTAWA (NEWS 1130) – After weeks of warnings, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to announce new restrictions on international travel this morning.

It’s believed the government will unveil new requirements for returning travellers who were on non-essential trips to quarantine for two weeks — at their own expense — in a government-designated hotel.

Other countries, like Australia, have already had this in place for some time.

The federal government and health officials have been urging against non-essential travel since last March, although leaving the country is currently not prohibited. Recent reports of Canadians and politicians skirting that public health advice and taking vacations abroad during the holidays caused outrage and in some cases, resignations by elected officials

Related article: 

• Trudeau urges Canadians to cancel non-essential travel plans, says new measures coming

• Canada’s airlines want feds to consult with industry before any additional travel restrictions

• Freeland hints at potential hotel quarantines for returning travellers

This comes as concerns mount over more contagious variants of COVID-19, which continue to spread across the globe, as well as here in Canada.

Currently, anyone coming into the country now must show proof of a negative PCR test before they even get on a plane. Once they arrive in Canada, travellers are required to self-isolate for two weeks at home.

Meanwhile, the Canada-U.S. land border remains closed to all non-essential traffic.

The premiers of Quebec and Ontario have also been pushing for Ottawa to order that anyone coming into the country must also pass a mandatory COVID-19 test upon arrival.