altalk08

EU citizen here, so not familiar with Canada's political system. Does Trudeau have full authority to decide on British Columbia's travel restrictions? They have a Four Phases Plan in effect and phase 4 has some pretty strict requirements, eg widespread immunity or vaccinations.

CanuckInParis

This comes with the caveat that I am not a lawyer, I just play on on Flyertalk: In theory, the federal government has full authority, since the constitution gives it exclusive authority over matters of quarantine, and the current nationwide 14 day quarantine order was made under the federal Quarantine Act. Some provinces like BC also made quarantine orders under their public health acts, but so far they've been the same as the federal order. If Trudeau decides to open up and the federal order isn't renewed, but BC kept its order, it could be challenged as unconstitutional.

That is all theory though, we'll have to see what happens next week. My guess is they will remove the entry ban on foreign nationals, but keep the 14-day quarantine order, arguing that it is fair because it applies to anyone entering the country, Canadian or not.

Badenoch

Provincial emergency and public health legislation is wide-ranging and should Trudeau admit foreign citizens without a quarantine requirement the provinces do have the authority under their emergency and public health legislation to impose one. Provinces and territories were already excluding residents of other provinces in some cases and those decisions remained unchallenged.

We agree the quarantine will remain for foreign nationals. Should the government do otherwise it would have to relieve the requirement for Canadians who returned in the previous two weeks.

CanuckInParis

Not wanting to go off topic, but while provincial public health laws are claiming authority to impose quarantines on international travelers, the law is not really settled and if the federal and provincial rules go "out of sync" there likely will be challenges (the inter-provincial travel restrictions are a whole other issue legally). That said, this is all somewhat academic because any challenge would take months/years to work through the courts.

From a practical standpoint, I think that even if the federal government lifts quarantine, many provinces will keep theirs despite the legal questions, so you should still have a 14 day quarantine plan. If it does end up going that way though, it's going to be a nightmare to enforce, especially for international travelers arriving in the province via connecting flights.

gonebabygone

Honest question, if countries with similar epidemiological situations in the EU have entirely removed their 14-day quarantine, what would be the reasoning for keeping ours? At 250 new cases per day and widespread responsible preventative behavior, wouldn't this be a safe time to gradually open borders to select countries?

Crampedin13A

What puzzles me is if even the hundreds of thousands of foreign students that had study permits and are viewed as essential travellers can find their way to Canada how are they getting medical insurance? I can't get anything to cover me as a Canadian if I leave Canada. Are the majority of people thinking of travelling either to or from Canada even taking that into account?

Finkface

Both my and Mr. Fink’s group extended coverage plans (different providers) cover us both for Out-Of-Province and Out-Of-Country completely, included Covid related illness. They were originally employer-provided and from everyone I’ve talked to, that seems to be the difference. I checked when we were away in late March just to be sure and I checked again a couple of weeks ago just to make sure nothing had changed. Of all the people I know, the Group plans have no Covid or travel advisory exclusions, unlike individual extended plans or pure travel policies, at least among the people I have talked to. Maybe because they have been in effect prior to this and coverage is continual? Not sure but I am glad to have it and wouldn’t dream of traveling without coverage.

Crampedin13A

Yes my problem is that normally I just use my Amex CC travel medical insurance but that is useless right now and I haven't really seen any Canadian insurance plans for travelling while the government is advising against non essential foreign travel. Not sure a lot of people have given this much thought as they wait to go to the US for a holiday

Bogwoppit

Same issue here. My Canadian daughter should be in Brussels right now, but her McGill student insurance does not cover her for any travel as long as the government advises against travel, not just for covid, for any medical issue. So no idea how students are travelling.

CanuckInParis

The issue is that virtually every insurance policy has exclusions when government travel advisories are in effect. Since Canada is currently recommending against all non-essential travel, it triggers that exclusion in most Canadian policies. Students and others are still able to come to Canada with insurance because many other countries do not have such severe advisories. For example, France does not currently have a formal advisory against travel to Canada, and the insurance on my French AmEx will cover a trip there.

xooz

Are non-residents disallowed from purchasing medical insurance through the school? My US based son purchases his insurance through an offering from the US based school. I hadn't considered that school offered policies would not be available to all students.

Bogwoppit

International students tend to buy the insurance offered by the school/uni. I know at McGill International students must buy their insurance. But the insurance offered for Canadian or local students, for travel medical, does not cover for travel outside of Canada currently. That insurance is optional.

emma69

All of my private travel insurance, group policy, and credit cards coverage have in the general exclusions section that I am not covered if the government has a do not travel advisory in place. I am getting very annoyed at the insurance companies touting 'covid cover' (meaning you are covered for the illness, and covered if you cancel your vacation) because they ALL have the general exclusion in the small print, rendering it useless for travel at this current time. I am on a couple of travel groups and people have bought these policies believing themselves to be good to go, and they really are not. I guess no one reads the 'general exclusion' sections anymore.

emma69

How does one allow travel from the Vatican, but not Italy. Monaco but not France. Andorra but not France or Spain, etc. It's a list put together by someone who has never traveled, clearly!

gonebabygone

Indeed. Apparently the new list was whittled down to only 14 countries. Canada made the cut however. Expect a formal announcement by July 1.

Now to see if Trudeau does likewise...?