In another step towards the full recovery of travel in Canada, the federal government has green-lighted eight more regional airports to accept international flights effective Nov. 30. The move ends an eight-month ban for the facilities in Victoria, Abbottsford and Kelowna, BC; Saskatoon and Regina, Sask.; Waterloo and Hamilton, Ont.; and St. John’s, Nfld., which join 10 other airports already open to traffic from abroad.

On Tuesday, Transport minister Omar Alghabra said higher vaccination levels have allowed Ottawa to open the airports to flights from international destinations, and that he will consider more airports as conditions dictate.

“This move will help ensure travellers are able to access more regional airports for their international travels this winter, while continuing to support our government’s measured approach to reopening our borders,” said Alghabra on the tarmac at Waterloo International Airport.

The aviation sector had been pushing the government to allow more airports to accept international flights, with an eye to trips to and from US and Caribbean destinations as winter approaches.

Air service across the country last quarter reached just 37% of its 2019 levels, and just 20% for international traffic, Canadian Airports Council president Daniel-Robert Gooch said.

“We can see no reason why these communities have to wait any longer,” he said in a statement, citing vaccination numbers and health protocols.

About 84% of Canadians aged 12 and older were fully vaccinated as of last Friday, according to the federal government.

The 18 Canadian airports able to operate international flights on Nov. 30 will have expanded from four when Ottawa first introduced the restriction in February as part of a move to discourage non-essential trips, slow the spread of COVID-19 variants, and concentrate the location of quarantine hotels.

The 10 Canadian airports currently accepting international flights are: Halifax Stanfield International, Québec City Jean Lesage International, Montréal-Trudeau International, Ottawa/Macdonald–Cartier International, Toronto Pearson International, Billy Bishop Toronto City Centre, Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International, Edmonton International, Calgary International, and Vancouver International.