Toronto: Ontario is calling on the federal government to take further action to protect the border, including mandatory testing of all incoming international passengers and a temporary ban on direct flights from countries where new variants are detected.
In a statement issued yesterday, the province said more than 6,800 international travellers have been tested for Covid-19 as part of the Ontario’s voluntary and free testing program at Toronto’s Pearson Airport, since its launch on January 6.
For those participants that have received confirmed results from an Ontario lab, 146 cases, or 2.26 per cent, have tested positive, the statement said adding that recent data shows that 1.8 per cent of all Covid cases are related to international travel.
“While we’ve made steady progress through this pilot program, thousands of people continue to pass through Pearson every week without being tested, creating a real risk to all Ontarians,” said Premier Doug Ford. “That’s why, in addition to pre-departure testing, we’re asking the federal government to adopt mandatory testing upon arrival for all international travellers and impose a temporary ban on flights coming from countries where new Covid-19 strains are being detected. Until vaccines are widely available, we all need to do our part to stop the spread of this virus and that means tighter controls at our border.”
Ontario is further calling on the federal government to strengthen enforcement of quarantine measures, including exploring new approaches that have worked in other jurisdictions, such as isolation hotels, to ensure compliance with the 14-day minimum quarantine requirement for incoming travellers.
Ontario’s first Covid-19 UK variant case was confirmed last month and was due to international travel. As other new variants are being detected globally, the Ontario government is calling on the federal government to impose a temporary ban on direct flights from countries where new variants are detected, including Brazil and Portugal. Banning flights with multiple stops in countries with a known variant should also be considered. This ban would be consistent with the prudent measures announced by the United Kingdom and several other countries, and the restrictions would remain in place until more is known about these new variants.
Quick Facts
- Inbound international travellers can register to participate in the program at torontopearson.com/testing. Registration can be done in advance of arrival at the airport or upon arrival at Toronto Pearson airport.
- Effective Thursday, January 14, 2021 at 12:01 a.m., a stay-at-home order is in effect. Ontarians are required to remain at home except for essential purposes such as food, health care, exercise, or work.
- Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health strongly advises that travel out of the province should be limited to essential purposes only.
- Ontario has completed over nine million Covid-19 tests to date, more tests than all Canadian provinces and territories combined.
- Testing is available by appointment for those within provincial testing guidance at assessment centres, participating pharmacies and specimen collection centres. Please visit Ontario.ca/Covidtest to find a testing location and for eligibility criteria to be tested.