We have provided information for travellers TO CANADA and for travellers WITHIN CANADA
The information listed below is accurate as of Monday April 6, and is subject to change at any time.
Please call TransCanadaHighway.com at 403-245-2194 if you become aware of any updates and/or errors. (We are not affiliated with –nor funded by– any governments)
Travel Into Canada
Travel into Canada is now highly limited, with many carriers limiting or temporarily ceasing air connections with many other countries that they typically serve.
Canadian Government page for travellers durng COVID-19 Outbreak
Travellers who are considered essential services (accoring to the US HomeLand Security) are able to cross the Canada-US boundary. Otherwise you must be a Canadian Citizen/resident to be able to enter into Canada.
Travellers with symptoms: mandatory isolation
If you have recently returned to Canada and you have symptoms, you must ISOLATE. This is mandatory. If required, immediate medical attention will be provided upon arrival in Canada.
Mandatory isolation means you MUST:
- go directly to the place where you will isolate, without delay, and stay there for 14 days
- go to your place of isolation using private transportation only, such as your personal vehicle
- stay INSIDE your home
- do not leave your place of isolation unless it is to seek medical attention
- do not go to school, work, other public areas or use public transportation such as buses and taxis
- stay in a separate room and use a separate bathroom from others in your home, if possible
- do not have visitors and limit contact with others in the place of isolation, including children
- do not isolate in a place where you will have contact with vulnerable people, such as older adults and individuals with underlying medical conditions
- if your symptoms get worse, immediately contact your health care provider or public health authority and follow their instructions
Violating any instructions provided to you when you entered Canada could lead to up to 6 months in prison and/or $750,000 in fines.
Travellers without symptoms: mandatory quarantine
If you have recently returned to Canada and you have no symptoms, you must QUARANTINE (self-isolate) yourself. This is mandatory. You are at risk of developing symptoms and infecting others.
This means you MUST:
- go directly to your place of quarantine, without delay, and stay there for 14 days
- do not go to school, work, other public areas and community settings
- monitor your health for symptoms of COVID-19
- arrange to have someone pick up essentials like groceries or medication for you
- do not have visitors
- stay in a private place like your yard or balcony if you go outside for fresh air
- keep a distance of at least 2 arms lengths (approximately 2 metres) from others
Travel Within Canada
Travel Within Canada is now highly limited, with many carriers limiting or temporarily ceasing air connections and reducing passenger numbers on flights to improve Social Distancing. We have listed provincial restrictions and guidelines from East to West.
Currently Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia have not imposed any restrictions on travel whithin Canada or set up border checkpoints to monitor traveller health.
Authorities are guided by (a) their Health officials and (b) common sense, which can change from day to day.
Currently, they are trying to help individuals return home — including transiting across a province to get to your home province — but subject to self-isolation upon returning home. Provincial restrictions are getting more restrictive about “visiting” and “travel/tourism” across provincial boundaries.
RECOMMENDED: Plan your travel itinerary to minimize stops for gas, and meals on your trip home
Newfoundland & Labrador
March 17: Public Advisory: Ferry Passengers Allowed to Remain in Vehicles During Crossings
To help ensure the safety of passengers and crews on provincial ferries during the COVID-19 pandemic, passengers are now allowed to remain in their vehicles during crossings, as per recommendations from Transport Canada.
Crews are also required to maintain additional space between vehicles to allow for easier evacuation of passengers in the event of an emergency. This additional space may result in fewer vehicles for some trips.
March 26: Public Advisory: New Restrictions Implemented for Provincial Ferry Crossings
These restrictions are limiting passengers to:
- Essential workers travelling to their workplace;
- Patients travelling for medical reasons, including for doctor’s appointments and visits to pharmacies;
- Those travelling to purchase essential goods and supplies, such as groceries, that are not available in their home community; and
- Those transporting essential goods.
- To limit the interactions between passengers and crews and to allow ample time for crews to efficiently clean the vessels, the number of trips for each ferry run is being reduced.
Nova Scotia
We contacted the RCMP Cumberland County Detachment (902-667-3859) who informed us that the Government of Nova Scotia has checkpoints at North Sydney for the Ferry form Newfoundland, and at Amherst for highway traffic from New Brunswick. These checkpoints are run by the Department of Natural Resources.
Anyone entering the province will be stopped, questioned, and told to self-isolate for 14 days. Exemptions for cross-border travel include healthy workers in trades and transportation sectors who move goods and people (e.g. truck drivers); healthy people going to work (e.g. health-care workers); and people travelling into the province for essential health services (e.g. chemotherapy treatment).
New Brunswick
RCMP West District, Riviere Verte, NB (506-263-1050)
There are now police checkpoints at provincial borders, with Quebec and with Nova Scotia. Unnecessary travel is prohibited, and travellers may be turned around at the border.
(item 15) “Unnecessary travel” includes non-residents of New Brunswick entering NB to make or receive purchases or vto visit or for other social purposes.
Quebec
We tried contacting the Surete de Quebec but their toll-free number (1-877-644-4545) only works inside Quebec. We were able to determine the following rules:
- The obligation for anyone returning from a stay outside Quebec to self-isolate for 14 days, that is, both sick travellers or those displaying symptoms and travellers who do not display symptoms and are in perfect health;
- All Quebecers are being asked to avoid travelling from one region to another or from one city to another, except where necessary. Such travel should be confined to trips for medical reasons and work when teleworking is not possible.
- Police officers at the checkpoints (at border with NB and with Ontario along the Trans-Canada) will limit travel into and out of the regions and only authorize essential travel.
- For any specific situation, you can call the Clinique d’assistance juridique COVID-19 established by the Ministere de la Justice du Quebec and the Barreau du Quebec at 1-866-699-9729 (toll free).
Quebec also has checkpoints between regions (like the Gaspe, the Saquenay, and Northern Quebec) to restrict travel within the province that may spread the coronovirus.
Ontario
Under the Ontario Declaration of Emergency: Anyone who has travelled outside of Canada should:
- self-isolate for 14 days when they return. People who are self-isolating should not go to work
- monitor themselves for symptoms of the 2019 novel coronavirus for 14 days after returning to Canada
- contact their primary care provider or Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000 if they experience symptoms of the 2019 novel coronavirus
On March 27, Ontario sent out emergency messages on cellphones, television and radio on Friday afternoon to warn travellers returning to the province they are at “high risk” of developing and spreading COVID-19 which has already killed 18 in the province.
The emergency alert urged travellers to stay home and sef-isolate for 14 days and monitor for symptoms and noted “you are required by law” to do so.
Do not visit stores, family or friends,” Premier Doug Ford told a news conference at Queen’s Park minutes before the alerts went out at 2 pm.
In Ontario the provincial police issued a notice Friday warning people that they could face fines of $750 if they defy the expert advice provided by the chief medical officer of health to close certain businesses and institutions and limit gatherings to 50 people or less. Corporations defying orders can face a fine of $500,000.
Manitoba
March 20, 2020 Manitoba declares a State of Emergency
March 27: Manitoba establishes checkpoints to inform travellers about COVID-19
Checkpoints will be located at the:
- Ontario border:
- Trans-Canada Highway East (West Hawk Lake/Falcon Lake);
- Saskatchewan border:
- Trans-Canada Highway West (west of Kirkella/Elkhorn/Virden);
- PTH 16 (west of Russell);
- PTH 5W (west of Roblin); and
- PTH 2 (west of Sinclair/Reston/Souris).
These checkpoints are established under the authority of The Public Health Act. No one will be denied entry into Manitoba at these locations.
Effective March 23, public health officials recommended anyone who returns from international or domestic travel should self-isolate and self-monitor for symptoms for 14 days following their return. This recommendation does not include:
- the commercial transportation of goods;
- workers who live in a neighbouring jurisdiction and travel to Manitoba for work;
- health care workers who travel to work from outside the province; and
- normal personal travel in border communities including visits to a cottage.
The Territories
Because of limited medical facilities within their jurisdictions, Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut have imposed VERY STRICT travel restrictions into their jurisdictions. All non-essential travel into the territories and the north are prohibited.
