Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc says the federal government will look at just about any measure to discourage people from travelling internationally. However, he says Canada doesn’t want to join the short list of countries that require government approval for travel, with measures such as exit visas.

LeBlanc says the federal government has been crystal clear since early last year that travelling abroad during the COVID-19 pandemic is a bad idea.

Starting Thursday January 7, Canada is requiring incoming air travellers to present evidence of a recent negative COVID-19 test before being allowed to board a plane, though questions remain about how that will work in places where such tests aren’t readily available.

LeBlanc says the government hasn’t ruled out applying such a rule to non-essential travellers arriving at land borders.

Health officials in Newfoundland and Labrador are reporting one new case of COVID-19.

Authorities say the case involves a man between 20 and 39 years old and his infection is related to international travel.

Officials say there are now 11 reported active COVID-19 infections in the province, with one person in hospital due to the virus.

Dr Tam says…

With cases of COVID-19 soaring and more seriously ill patients in hospitals, Dr. Theresa Tam says Canadians have to stick together and follow public health orders and advice.

The federal government’s chief public health officer says those instructions are only useful if they’re followed.

More than 16,000 people have died of COVID-19 and the Public Health Agency of Canada says more than 77,000 people are actively sick with it.

Canadian authorities have detected nine cases of a variant of the virus that was first detected in the United Kingdom and seems to spread more easily.

The agency says no cases of a different variant, from South Africa, have yet been found in Canada.

Vaccinating the people who need it most

Ontario plans to vaccinate all long-term care residents, workers and essential caregivers in COVID-19 hot spots by Jan. 21.

The province says those living and working in nursing homes in Toronto, Peel Region, York Region and Windsor-Essex will be immunized by then.

The province also says it will start administering COVID-19 vaccinations in Ontario’s Indigenous communities later this week.

The Ontario government has faced criticism for its vaccine rollout in recent weeks, with some saying the province isn’t doling out doses fast enough.

Get the vaccines out

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he’s unhappy to see vaccines against COVID-19 sitting in freezers instead of being administered to patients and will take it up with provincial premiers in a regular conference with them on Thursday.

COVID-19 does disproportionate harm to older people and those with other illnesses and Trudeau says it’s urgent to give inoculations to as many of them as possible, as quickly as possible.

Trudeau also said Canadians who have travelled abroad should not expect to collect a benefit for people who have to isolate themselves.

He says the program is for workers who have to quarantine because they are sick or have had close contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19. Trudeau says the point was never to subsidize vacations and he’s frustrated and angry that non-essential travellers might have claimed the benefit.

The government will revise the rules to make it clear they’re not eligible but Trudeau hasn’t said when that will be done.

Quebec

Quebec reported 2,508 new cases of COVID-19 yesterday and 62 more deaths attributed to the novel coronavirus.

Health officials say hospitalizations rose by 23, to 1,317, and 194 people were in intensive care, a rise of six.

The province says 2,529 doses of vaccine were administered, for a total of 32,763. Quebec has reported 215,358 cases of COVID-19 and 8,441 deaths linked to the virus since the beginning of the pandemic.

Prince Edward Island

Health officials said the new case involves a female below the age of 19 who had travelled outside the province.

The province has four active reported cases of COVID-19Chief medical officer of health Dr. Heather Morrison says that although some restrictions will be lifted on the Island tomorrow, the province will not re-enter the Atlantic bubble until at least Jan. 25.

Ontario

Ontario reported 3,128 new cases of COVID-19 yesterday, and 51 new deaths due to the virus.

Health Minister Christine Elliott says there are 778 new cases in Toronto, 614 in Peel Region, 213 in York Region, 172 in Durham, 151 in London-Middlesex and 151 in Hamilton.

The province says it has conducted 35,152 tests since the last daily report.

Ontario has administered 7,607 doses of vaccines since its last daily update, with 50,030 shots given in total.