The federal government is charting the course for smooth waters ahead of the 2022 cruise ship season.
Transport Minister Omar Alghabra unveiled Canada’s new public health plan for cruise ships as the COVID-19 pandemic stretches into its third year.
Alghabra made the announcement in Nova Scotia on Monday morning at the Port of Halifax as the country gets ready to welcome the first cruise ships back next month.
“As Canadians continue to do their part by stepping up and rolling up their sleeves to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and practising public health measures, our government continues to work hard to restart our economy safely and sustainably,” Alghabra says in a news release. “We welcome cruise ships—an important part of our tourism sector—back to Canada, and we will continue working with partners to support this important industry.”
He was joined by Halifax MP Andy Fillmore and Port President Captain Allan Gray.
(SOURCE: Port of Halifax Twitter)
The plan will require passengers and crew to be fully vaccinated and they must self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms.
Passengers will also be required to take a COVID-19 test before arriving in Canada and boarding a ship.
LIVE: We’re announcing the new health requirements for the return of cruise ships in Canada and new funding for the Port of Halifax.
https://t.co/iFmBwT7Q6Z
— Omar Alghabra (@OmarAlghabra) March 7, 2022
The news release says the full plan for cruise ships includes:
- Crew and passengers being required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19;
- Crew and passengers being required to self-monitor for symptoms;
- Passengers being required to take a COVID-19 molecular test within 72-hours before boarding a cruise ship OR take an antigen test within one day of boarding a cruise ship; and
- Passengers being required to take a COVID-19 molecular test within 72-hours before arriving in Canada or taking an antigen test within one day of the scheduled arrival.
Feds to invest $7 million in the Port of Halifax
Officials also announced $7 million in funding for the Port of Halifax.
The money will be used to build the Port’s new Marine Container Examination Facility next to its Fairview Cove Container Terminal in the Bedford Basin.
Its current inspection facility is located offsite, so when the Canada Border Services Agency chooses to inspect a container, it must be trucked across the bridge to Dartmouth and then sent back to the terminal.
The funding is in addition to the $8 million being provided by the Port Authority for the project.
Andy Fillmore says it will help free the city and port of congestion.
“This is going to reduce inspection and turnaround time, reduce port congestion, speed up operations, and more importantly help to get a lot of trucks off downtown streets with fewer emissions because the trucks won’t be travelling as far,” Fillmore said during the announcement. “It’s going to improve safety and security and it’s going to improve the operations of the Canada Border Services Agency.”
The Port of Halifax recently announced its cruise season will begin on April 26th and run until November 5th.
Port spokesperson Lane Farguson told Huddle the return is good news for a port city that hasn’t seen a single cruise ship dock for more than two years.
The tourism industry has been especially hard hit since the pandemic’s arrival in 2020.
The Port estimates the Halifax cruise industry pumps about $165 million into the local economy each year.
In 2018, the total economic output from the industry neared $172-million, created jobs 950 jobs, $45.5-million in wages, and generated $14-million in taxes.
152 cruise ships are scheduled to call on the port this season.
**With files from Huddle’s Trevor Nichols.
