Atlantic Premiers Announce Plan to Ease Regional Travel Restrictions
March 18, 2021
Atlantic Premiers continue to work together to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs chaired a conference call of the Council of Atlantic Premiers, with Premier Iain Rankin of Nova Scotia, Premier Dennis King of Prince Edward Island and Premier Andrew Furey of Newfoundland and Labrador participating.
While COVID-19 remains a serious concern, Premiers are encouraged by Atlantic Canadians’ adherence to public health measures, the containment of regional outbreaks, and the progress in rolling out vaccines. Premiers are grateful to front-line workers for their continued efforts and the ongoing dedication of Atlantic Canadians in helping to contain the spread of the virus.
In recognition of this, Premiers agreed to reopen the Atlantic Bubble by April 19, 2021, conditional upon COVID-19 case numbers remaining low in the region, containment of outbreaks, and ongoing advice from Atlantic Chief Medical Officers of Health. Newfoundland and Labrador’s participation is conditional on continued progress in easing its provincial alert-level restrictions. The reopening of the Atlantic Bubble will allow residents of the Atlantic provinces to travel within the region without the requirement to self-isolate for 14 days.
All public health directives in each province must continue to be followed, including wearing a mask in public spaces, not traveling if experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19 and practicing physical distancing.
When the Atlantic Bubble reopens, visitors travelling from other Canadian provinces and territories must adhere to entry requirements in place in each of the four jurisdictions. Visitors from other Canadian provinces and territories to the Maritime provinces who complete their 14-day isolation in one of the Maritime provinces may travel to another Maritime province without being required to complete another isolation period in that province.
Premiers noted that the decision to ease travel restrictions will continue to be closely monitored and may change at any time, based on public health advice regarding conditions within the region. Premiers remain committed to collaborating on limiting the spread of COVID-19, protecting the health and safety of all Atlantic Canadians and working to renew and strengthen the region’s economy while returning to community activities.
For more information about the COVID-19 response and specific public health requirements for each of the Atlantic Provinces, please consult the following links below:
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New Brunswick: http://www.gnb.ca/coronavirus
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Newfoundland and Labrador: https://www.gov.nl.ca/covid-19/
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Nova Scotia: https://novascotia.ca/coronavirus/
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Prince Edward Island: https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/topic/covid-19