Canada column for Sunday, March 20/22
THE CANADIAN REPORT
By Jim Fox
There’s good news for travelers as those vaccinated will no longer need to show a COVID-19 test to enter Canada as of April 1.
Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos said the more-lenient border policy is possible because of Canada’s high vaccination rate and fewer cases of the virus being detected at the border.
The change comes at the start of the tourist season and as the pandemic has declined with fewer cases since mid-January.
The positivity rate at airports was about 10 percent in January and has fallen to 1 percent now, Duclos said.
Arriving tourists still must be vaccinated and need to upload their information to the ArriveCan app.
Travelers could still be subject to random molecular tests when they arrive at Canadian airports and land border crossings.
For those taking cruises, they will still need to be tested before boarding but will not need to take a test to get off the ship, said Transport Minister Omar Alghabra.
“Canada's tourism sector is ready to ensure the safety of travelers, employers and the communities in which they operate,” said Tourism Minister Randy Boissonnault. “They are ready to welcome back the world.”
Unvaccinated traveler rules are unchanged with the need for a negative rapid antigen or molecular test upon arrival and eight days later and quarantine for 14 days.
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The oil-rich province of Alberta will help drivers coping with record-high gas prices.
Premier Jason Kenney said his government is working on a plan with rebates that would “provide immediate relief for the growing gasoline prices.”
As well, Kenney said he wants to “ensure the Alberta treasury receives additional royalties from these higher prices, with some passed on to consumers.”
The higher prices, with gas selling for more than $1.50 a liter ($5.70 for a U.S. gallon in Canadian funds) in Alberta, are “eating into people’s wallets and ability to pay the bills,” Kenney said.
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News in brief:
- Two Canadian students were the only survivors of a two-vehicle crash that killed nine people in Texas. Dayton Price, 19, of Mississauga, Ontario and Hayden Underhill, 20, of Amherstview, Ontario were seriously injured in the crash between a pickup truck driven by a 13-year-old boy and a van with members of the University of the Southwest Golf Teams. Six students and their coach and the two people in the truck were killed in the fiery crash.
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Facts and figures:
Canada’s dollar is higher at 79 cents U.S. while the U.S. dollar returns $1.2 6in Canadian funds, before exchange fees.
The Bank of Canada’s key interest rate is steady at 0.5 percent while the prime lending rate is 2.7 percent.
Canadian stock markets are mixed, with the Toronto index up at 21,771 while the TSX Venture index is down at 851 points.
The average price for gas in Canada is lower at $1.75 a liter or $6.65 for a U.S. gallon in Canadian funds.
Lotto Max: (March 15) 3, 7, 12, 17, 23, 38 and 40; bonus 27. (March 11) 5, 7, 12, 22, 28, 43 and 47; bonus 1.
Lotto 6/49: (March 16)1, 3,8,14, 15 and16; bonus 33. (March 12) 3, 8, 20, 24, 37 and 47; bonus 31.
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Regional briefs:
- Western Canadian farmers say they will face a ““catastrophic” crisis shipping their products should there be a strike or lockout by3, 000 CP Rail workers at midnight tonight (Sunday).
Negotiations have been ongoing since September by the railway and Teamsters Canada. Workers have voted to go on strike and the railway said a lockout could happen “to bring this uncertainty to an end,” said CP Chief Executive Keith Creel. The main issues are wages, pensions and work rules.
- Automotive parts companies in Windsor, Ontario are looking to hire up to 500 Ukrainian refugees to help address a shortage of workers in the city across from Detroit. The Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association wants to open up employment opportunities, said Larry Koscielsk of CenterLine (Windsor) Ltd. He is the son of Polish immigrants who came to Canada during the Second World War.
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