The authorities in Canada have decided to extend its ban on cruise ships through February 2021 due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation.
Canada Extends Ban on Cruise Ships
The cruise industry has just received a major blow in the hope of resuming operations out of Canada. The Minister of Transport, Honourable Marc Garneau, has announced the ban on cruise ships is to be extended through February 28, 2021.
This comes as the pandemic continues to have a major impact across the country and ensures transportation workers can remain safe during this time. According to John Hopkins University, Canada currently has 228,493 cases since the start of the pandemic. 2,669 cases were reported just yesterday (Oct 28), and the trend continues to go up.
Transport Minister Marc Garneau, commented:
“As Canadians are doing their part to help reduce the spread of COVID-19, the Government of Canada is working hard to ensure Canada’s transportation system remains safe. The extension of these temporary measures for cruise ships and other passenger vessels in Canada reflects our ongoing work with all levels of government, transportation industry stakeholders, and Indigenous peoples to help ensure appropriate measures are in place.”
So this does now mean cruise lines can forget about cruises from any Canadian port for a while, including popular ports such as Vancouver. The ban details are as follows:
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- Cruise ships with overnight accommodations carrying more than 100 people continue to be prohibited from operating in Canadian waters.
- All other passenger vessels must continue following provincial, territorial, local and regional health authority guidance.
- Passenger vessels carrying more than 12 people continue to be prohibited from entering Arctic coastal waters, including Nunatsiavut, Nunavik and the Labrador Coast.
- Adventure-seeking pleasure craft also continue to be banned in Arctic waters.
The ban on cruise ships was originally announced by the Canadian authorities on March 19, 2020. An extension was announced on May 30, which was set to end on October 31, 2020.
Any vessels that do not follow the cruise ship ban could be subject to penalties: $5,000 per day for individuals and $25,000 per day for corporations. Cruise ships that carry less than 100 passengers need to follow local rules as there is no national ban for them. Also, other smaller boats are not impacted by this.
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