| Year-long Canada big ship cruise ban

AUTHORITIES in Canada have banned cruise ships carrying 100 or more people for the next year.

The shock move was announced by the country’s Minister of Transport, Omar Alghabra (pictured), in the form of new Interim Orders which prohibit pleasure craft in Canadian Arctic waters and cruise vessels in all Canadian waters through until 28 Feb 2022.

“With these prohibitions in place, public health authorities will be able to continue focusing on the most pressing issues, including the vaccine rollout and new COVID-19 variants,” the Minister said in a statement.

He also added that the Government of Canada continues to advise Canadian citizens and permanent residents to “avoid all travel on cruise ships outside Canada until further notice”.

“Cruise vessels in Canadian waters pose a risk to our health care systems,” he said, stressing that keeping Canadians and transportation workers safe and healthy are “top priorities for Transport Canada”.

“The Government of Canada will continue to evaluate the situation and make changes as necessary…should the COVID-19 pandemic sufficiently improve to allow the resumption of these activities, the Minister of Transport has the ability to rescind the Interim Orders.”

Previously temporary measures for pleasure craft and cruise ships had been scheduled to end on 28 Feb 2021.

The Minister warned that those who do not comply with the passenger vessel prohibition could be liable on summary conviction to a fine of up to $1 million, or imprisonment for a term of up to 18 months, or both.

There is no national ban for smaller cruise ships certified to carry 100 or fewer people, but they must follow provincial, territorial, local and regional health authority protocols for timelines and processes around their operations.