Timeline – CBSA Border Measures

Enhanced screening border measures at 4 major airports – travellers from Wuhan:

• Locations: Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto international airports
• Measures include:
  • messaging on arrival screens
  • asking an additional health screening question to travellers either on an electronic kiosk or by a CBSA officer directly if they have travelled to Wuhan China, and
  • asking travellers to inform a Border Services Officer if they are experiencing flu-like symptoms

Expansion of enhanced screening to other airports:

• Locations:  Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Billy Bishop, Ottawa, Quebec City, and Halifax airports

New information brochure: Issued by BSOs, with specific instructions for travellers who have been in the Province of Hubei

Enhanced screening at all airports:

• Locations: All international airports in Canada

Occupational health and safety advice from Health Canada: provided to Border Services Officers (BSOs)

Surgical mask kit issued: BSOs began issuing the kit to all travellers who reported that they have been in the Province of Hubei

Expansion of screening – travellers from Iran:

• Locations: All international airports in Canada to include Iran

Enhanced health screening Land, Rail, Marine Mode: added to border processing for travellers seeking entry into Canada by car, rail or ferry

Expansion of screening  - travellers from Italy:

• Locations: All international airports in Canada to include Italy

Enhanced signage implemented: at all ports of entry

• Request for all inbound travellers to self-isolate (PHAC)
• International flights are redirected to only four international airports: Montreal, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver

Air Travel Ban on Foreign Nationals put in place:  Foreign Nationals are restricted from entering Canada if they arrive by aircraft coming from a foreign country.

Subject to specific exemptions, which included:  

• Foreign Nationals, including United States (U.S.) citizens, who have been in the U.S. and Canada for more than 14 days;
• Close family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents;
• French residents of St. Pierre and Miquelon (SPM) arriving directly from SPM;
• Urgent Protection Plan resettled refugees;
• Accredited diplomats and their family members;
• Airline and maritime crews; 
• Foreign nationals travelling at the invitation of the Canadian Government for the purpose of assisting in the COVID-19 response or whose entry would be in the national interest;
• Members of the Canadian military, visiting forces, and their family members; and;
• Transiting passengers travelling to / from the U.S., and international-to-international transit.

Travel restrictions in effect (as agreed until April 21, 2020):  

• prohibit any foreign national, including U.S. nationals, from entering Canada in all modes of travel (air, land, rail and marine) for optional or discretionary purposes, with the exception of:
  • A person registered as an Indian under the Indian Act;
  • A person who, in the opinion of Chief Public Health Officer, does not pose a risk of significant harm to public health;
  • A protected person who has previously received refugee protection in Canada as defined in section 95(2) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act; or
  • A person, travelling by aircraft, if the scheduled arrival in Canada is before 11:59AM EDT on
  • March 21, 2020.
• all Foreign Nationals entering Canada for essential business or studies must also have only been in either the U.S. or Canada for the period of 14 days prior to their arrival in Canada.
• all Foreign Nationals are prohibited from entering if they display the following symptoms: a fever and cough, or a fever and breathing difficulties.

Travel restrictions in effect (as signed until June 30, 2020):

• for any foreign national entering Canada by air and marine mode from any country other than the U.S. with the exception of:
  • Foreign National, including US citizens, who have been in the US and Canada for more than 14 days (as per the order governing travel from the US to Canada);
  • Immediate family member of Canadian citizens and permanent residents;
  • Person registered as an Indian under the Indian Act;
  • Person who is authorized, in writing, by a consular officer of the Government of Canada to enter Canada for the purpose of reuniting immediate family members;
  • Airline or marine crew member;
  • Accredited diplomat and immediate family members, including representative from the United Nations and international organizations for which Canada is part of;
  • Foreign national travelling at the invitation of the Canadian government for the purpose of assisting in the COVID-19 response;
  • Person who arrives by means of an aircraft operated by the Canadian Forces or the Department of National Defence;
  • Member of the Canadian military, visiting forces, and their family members;
  • Protected Person presenting a Convention Refugee travel document;
  • A French citizen who resides in St. Pierre and Miquelon (SPM) who has only been in SPM, the US or Canada during the period of 14 days before the day on which they board;
  • Person or any person in class of persons who, in the opinion of Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer does not pose a risk of significant harm to the public health, or will provide essential service while in Canada; and
  • Transiting passengers through Canada to another country.
• Transiting passengers will be subject to any travel bans and restrictions the third country has in place.