OTTAWA — Minister of Transport, the Honourable Marc Garneau, recently announced updated measures pertaining to cruiseships and passenger vessels in Canadian waters.
Under the new measures, cruiseships with overnight accommodations allowed to carry more than 100 persons are prohibited from operating in Canadian waters until Oct 31, 2020. And, as of July 1, all other passenger vessels must follow provincial, territorial, local and regional health-authority requirements for timelines and processes to resume operations.
“Our government is committed to protecting Canadians, particularly during these challenging times. It’s for that reason I’m announcing updated measures for cruiseships and other passenger vessels in Canada, which includes prohibiting larger cruiseships from operating in Canadian waters until Oct. 31, 2020,” says Garneau. “Our government continues to work with other levels of government, transportation industry stakeholders and Indigenous peoples to re-examine measures and to ensure Canada’s transportation system remains safe and secure during this time.”
Passenger vessels with the capacity to carry more than 12 persons continue to be prohibited from entering Arctic coastal waters (including Nunatsiavut, Nunavik and the Labrador Coast) until October 31.
Beginning July 1, passenger vessels will be allowed to operate in inland rivers and lakes in the Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Yukon.
Essential passenger vessels, such as ferries and water taxis, should continue to operate using mitigation measures. These could include reducing the number of passengers or using alternative practices, such as keeping people in their vehicles, when safe to do so, or enhanced cleaning-and-hygiene measures to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19.
