'It's just disappointing': Loosened international travel restrictions leave some Albertans wanting more
Newly loosened restrictions around international travel may have been welcome news to many Albertans, but as CTV News Edmonton learned on Monday, they also left some things to be desired for some families looking for an out-of-country vacation.
On July 5, fully vaccinated travellers who are Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or certain foreign nationals will be able to return to the country without the burden of a 14-day quarantine.
New guidance from the Government of Canada, announced on Monday, also allows eligible travellers to avoid taking a COVID-19 test eight days after their return, or isolating in a hotel upon arrival to the country.
TRAVELLING WITH CHILDREN
Currently there is no COVID-19 vaccine approved for kids under the age of 12 in Canada, meaning children younger than 12 years old would be subject to a 14-day isolation period upon their return to the country.
Unvaccinated children would not have to stay in a hotel, but would have to follow current COVID-19 testing requirements.
For those reasons, one Sturgeon County man chose to book a September trip to New York City with his wife, but not their kids.
Sean Gilfillan told CTV News Edmonton when he heard the news about Canada's loosened travel restrictions on Monday morning he immediately went online to book their flights.
"We would have 100 per cent probably booked something like Mexico, California, Disneyland, something like that, if we were confident that we could get the kids over and back without isolating," said Gilfillan.
"When's the government going to address the fact that I can't take my five and six-year-old across the border and come back without them needing to isolate?" he added.
On Monday, Canada's Health Minister Patty Hajdu seemed to anticipate the frustration.
"Undoubtedly this will be challenging for families who want to travel," said Hajdu.
'I UNDERSTAND THE RESTRICTIONS, IT'S JUST DISAPPOINTING'
Mark Kay and his wife took a different approach from Gilfillan when they booked a flight to California for January.
The St. Albert couple is hoping to include their kids on the trip, and have paid for them to join. They say they're prepared to cancel if circumstances around post-travel isolation don't change.
“I understand the restrictions, it's just disappointing," Kay told CTV News Edmonton. “How do you sit a five and a 10-year-old inside and say, 'You have to stay in here for eight more days because we went to San Diego?'”
OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER
One requirement, when returning to Canada, that will remain in place after July 5 is pre-departure and on-arrival molecular testing for COVID-19, even for fully vaccinated Canadian travellers.
The on-arrival tests which must be less than 72 hours old upon are readily available in places like California, but according to one travel insurance company that CTV News Edmonton spoke to, they aren't free for Canadian vacationers.
One COVID-19 test can be purchased in that state, in most big name pharmacies, and costs about $175 CAD.
“It shouldn’t be difficult to get a test to return home,” City of Anaheim spokesperson Lauren Gold told CTV News Edmonton.
As for tests for returns from New York, Gilfillan said he's still looking into that.
"Researching that this morning, before we booked our flights," he said. "It wasn’t clear to me where we’re going to be able to book that test."
The New York couples trip, Gilfillan said, will be a much needed boost to he and his wife's mental health, and he's confident they'll be able to work out those details by the time they need to.
All international commercial flights will continue to be funneled through the Montréal-Trudeau International Airport, Toronto Pearson International Airport, Calgary International Airport and Vancouver International Airport.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Dan Grummett
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.