Canada column for Sunday, Jan. 31/21
THE CANADIAN REPORT
By Jim Fox
Canada’s four major airlines are suspending service to all Caribbean destinations and Mexico as the government cracks down on non-essential travel to protect against virus spread.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Air Canada, WestJet, Sunwing and Air Transat will no longer fly there from today (Sunday) to April 30.
He called for Canadians to immediately cancel travel plans to all destinations including spring break trips.
All international passenger flights must land at only four airports – Vancouver, Toronto, Calgary, and Montreal.
Vacationers have to show proof of a negative test for COVID-19 to board a plane and have a test upon return.
Awaiting results for several days at designated hotels could cost be about $2,000, he said.
Those with positive tests will isolate in those facilities, while those with negative results can quarantine for two weeks at home.
Non-essential travellers will also soon have to show a negative test at the closed land borders with the United States if they are returning home.
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Canada will be getting fewer doses of the Moderna vaccine than expected in its next shipment.
Prime Minister Trudeau said he anticipates 180,000 doses next week that are only 78 percent of what was expected.
Canada should then receive two-million doses by the end of March.
This still means the goal of offering vaccines to all who want one by fall is still possible.
Vaccine made by Pfizer-BioNTech is also delayed but Canada should receive its four-million doses by the end of March, Trudeau said.
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News in brief:
- Hudson’s Bay Co., Canada’s iconic retailer founded in 1670 as a fur-trading business, is permanently laying off about 600 Canadian workers and closing locations due to pandemic lockdowns. About half of the company’s 250 department stores remain temporarily closed. It has 30,000 employees around the world and is now owned by a U.S. investment group along with Saks Fifth Avenue and Saks Off 5th.
- Canada’s central bank kept its key interest rate on hold at 0.25 percent due to “near-term weakness and the protracted nature of the recovery.” Bank Governor Tiff Macklem said a first-quarter decline could be worse than expected if restrictions are tightened or extended. The longer restrictions remain in place, the more difficult it may be for workers to find new jobs as the path to a recovery rests on the rollout of vaccines, he said.
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Facts and figures:
Canada’s dollar is lower at 78.2 cents U.S. while the U.S. dollar returns $1.277 Canadian before exchange fees.
The Bank of Canada key interest rate remains at 0.25 percent while the prime lending rate is 2.45 percent.
Canadian stock markets are lower, with the Toronto index at 17,337 points and the TSX Venture index 922 points.
The average price for gas in Canada is higher at $1.124 a liter (Canadian) or $4.27 for a U.S. gallon.
Lotto Max: (Jan. 26) 26, 37, 42, 44, 46, 49 and 50; bonus 24. (Jan. 22) 11, 21, 23, 25, 28, 41 and 43; bonus 10.
Lotto 6/49: (Jan. 27) 12, 17, 23, 36, 44 and 49; bonus 32. (Jan. 23) 5, 17, 21, 29, 41 and 43; bonus 46.
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Regional briefs:
- General Motors will invest $1 billion in Canada to produce its Brightdrop electric delivery van at its CAMI manufacturing plant in Ingersoll, Ontario. It will support jobs and transform work at the plant over the next two years in switching from Chevrolet Equinox production. GM is also spending $1.3 billion to restart the Oshawa Assembly plant near Toronto among other major spending in Canada.
- Another victim of the pandemic is the now-closed Guinness World Records Museum in Niagara Falls, Ontario. A popular attraction since 1978, the facility is auctioning off its interesting and unusual items on Feb. 12. There’s a giant Atari Hercules pinball machine and fake electric chair. Sports items include those of NHL’s Wayne Gretzky and NFL’s legend Dan Marino memorabilia and there’s also a Wurlitzer 1015 jukebox. ripleyauctions.com
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Jim Fox can be reached at canadareport@hotmail.com
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