Timeline – CBSA Border Measures

Date: March 22, 2020

Classification: Unclassified

Branch/Agency: CBSA

DATE MEASURE LEAD
January 22

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
CBSA
February 1

Expansion of enhanced screening to other airports:

  • Locations:  Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Billy Bishop, Ottawa, Quebec City, and Halifax airports
CBSA
February 8

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

CBSA
February 9

Enhanced screening at all airports:

  • Locations: All international airports in Canada
CBSA
February 14

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

CBSA
February 19

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

CBSA
March 4

Expansion of screening – travellers from Iran:

  • Locations: All international airports in Canada to include Iran
CBSA
March 6

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

CBSA
March 12

Expansion of screening  - travellers from Italy:

  • Locations: All international airports in Canada to include Italy
CBSA
March 14

Enhanced signage implemented: at all ports of entry

CBSA
March 16
  • Request for all inbound travellers to self-isolate (PHAC)
  • International flights are redirected to only four international airports: Montreal, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver
CBSA
March 18

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.
CBSA
March 21

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.
CBSA
March 22

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.
CBSA

CBSA Background:

On December 31, 2019, a cluster of cases of pneumonia are reported in Wuhan, China, and the is confirmed as a new coronavirus that had not previously been identified in humans.

On January 22, 2020, enhanced border measures were implemented at Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto international airports. On February 1, these measures were extended to Calgary International Airport , Edmonton International Airport, Winnipeg Richardson International Airport, Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, Ottawa International Airport, Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport and Halifax Stanfield International Airport.

On January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global health emergency over concern of the potential for the virus to spread to further countries. The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) is in close contact with the WHO to assess the situation and any potential risk to Canadians. The CBSA plays an important frontline role in helping to prevent the spread of serious infectious diseases into Canada and is working closely with PHAC to monitor developments in relation to the novel COVID-19 situation.

As part of the CBSA’s enhanced measures, on February 17, 2020, CBSA border services officers (BSO) on behalf of PHAC began to provide a PHAC COVID-19 form to travellers to complete to obtain flight data and contact information from all travellers who indicated that they have been in the province of Hubei. Once travellers complete the form, it is provided to PHAC who will determine when and how to share information with provincial authorities, allowing authorities to follow-up with the 70 or so travellers who arrive daily from Hubei.

At the direction of PHAC:

On March 16, 2020, the Government announced more measures, including:

Finally, on March 18, 2020, the Governments of Canada and the United State simultaneously announced that the Canada-U.S. border will be temporarily closed to non-essential travel in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Contacts:

Prepared by: Jayden Robertson, Senior Program Advisor, Travellers Branch, 613-854-4541

Approved by: John Ommanney, a/Vice-President, Travellers Branch, 613-952-3266

Date modified: