Canada Lifts Global Advisory on Non Essential Travel, Still Advises Against Cruises

Canada Lifts Global Advisory on Non Essential Travel, Still Advises Against Cruises
Travellers are seen at Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, B.C., on March 13, 2020. (The Canadian Press/Jonathan Hayward)
The Canadian Press
10/22/2021
Updated:
10/22/2021

OTTAWA—The federal government has lifted a global advisory asking Canadians to avoid non-essential travel outside the country, but continues to advise against travel on cruise ships.

The global travel advisory was put in place in March 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

The government of Canada’s website now shows advisories for each destination country, as it did prior to the pandemic.

It also urges Canadians to ensure they are fully vaccinated against the novel coronavirus before travelling abroad, and to stay informed of the COVID-19 situation at their destination.

The move comes as the federal government announced it had reached an agreement with the provinces on a new national vaccine passport for domestic and international travel.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday that provinces and territories have agreed to adjust their own vaccine passports to give them the same look, feel and security measures based on the international standard for so-called smart health cards.

Several have already started distributing proof-of-vaccination documents, including Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Quebec, Ontario, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories and Yukon.

Canada opened its borders last month to non-essential international travellers who have received both doses of a Health Canada-approved COVID-19 vaccine, and to fully vaccinated travellers from the United States in August.

The U.S. government recently announced that its land borders will reopen to non-essential Canadian travellers on Nov. 8.