Bubble burst; inconsistent reopening dates causing confusion for Atlantic travellers
With vaccination rates climbing and border restrictions loosening across the Atlantic region, many travellers are getting anxious to plan their summer getaways.
But for some, staggered reopening dates are making that planning a more difficult task.
At this time last year, all four Atlantic premiers were preparing to open the Atlantic Bubble. But this year, each province has been moving forward with individual reopening plans, each with a different start date.
“On one side of things, you sort of understand that each province needs to do things a little bit differently,” says Moncton resident Jen Williston. “But you can’t have one province say ‘Yes, you can come in and out,’ and then have another say ‘Well, no you can't';.”
As of Wednesday at midnight, residents of Atlantic Canada can enter New Brunswick without testing or self-isolating.
Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador will open their borders to Atlantic travellers on June 23, but the process is slightly more complicated in P.E.I., where Atlantic Canadians with one dose of vaccine who fit under one of the province’s approved travel streams can enter on June 23, but those who don’t fit into a travel stream will have to wait until June 27.
It’s a lot of information for Maritimers to take in.
“I don’t know if I can go to one province, and if I can, can I come back?” asks Moncton resident Julie McGivery. “And do I need to swab? I have both vaccinations…can I go? Can I not go? So it’s still unclear to most people.”
The mayor of Amherst, N.S. questions the lack of consistency across the Atlantic provinces.
“I was much more a fan of when the four Atlantic premiers worked collaboratively and made decisions collectively, and I think the fact that that’s not happening now is not the best way of going about this,” says Dr. David Kogon.
New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs says he’s confident those inconsistencies won’t last long.
“I just think we’re only talking about a couple of days, or a couple of weeks at the outside here, when we could have a little difference of situation in each province, but we’re all going to get there,” says Higgs.
Those looking to arrange summer visits hope the coming days will bring some clarity to their travel plans.
“You don’t want to break the rules, but we want to see our family,” says Jen Williston.
Trying not to break rules that vary from province to province.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.