Atlantic Bubble
| Atlantic Bubble | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Category | Special travel-restricted area |
| Location | New Brunswick Prince Edward Island Nova Scotia Newfoundland and Labrador |
| Created | July 3, 2020 |
| Populations | 2,442,555 (Estimate) |
| Government | Premier Blaine Higgs Premier Dennis King Premier Stephen McNeil Premier Dwight Ball (July 3-August 19, 2020) Premier Andrew Furey (August 19, 2020-present) |
The Atlantic Bubble is a special travel-restricted area created on July 3, 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. The area is an agreement between four Atlantic Canadian provinces including New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador which allows unrestricted travel among provincial residents and restricts travel from Canadians who are residents of outside provinces. Residents wishing to travel to the Atlantic Bubble are subjected to screening and are required to quarantine for 14 days before moving freely amongst the bubble. Individual provinces have specific rules toward travellers from outside of Atlantic Canada. The provinces in the bubble have seen the lowest numbers of COVID-19 compared to others throughout the pandemic. In late November, three of the member-provinces pulled out of the agreement due to increasing COVID-19 cases numbers. The fate of the Bubble remains unclear.
History[edit]
The Atlantic Bubble was first conceived to encourage economic strength and fluidity[1] amongst the Atlantic provinces due to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. Initially, the Atlantic Provinces had interprovincial travel restrictions, to prevent the spread of COVID-19.[2] On June 24, 2020 it was announced that the four premiers of the Atlantic Canadian provinces had come to an agreement of creating a free-travel bubble, effective July 3, 2020[3][4] amongst the provinces.[2]
On November 23, Newfoundland and Labrador and Prince Edward Island announced plans to suspend involvement in the bubble for a minimum of two weeks effective November 24. Travellers from other Atlantic provinces would be required to self-isolate upon entry,[5] thus restricting the bubble to just New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.[6][7]
On November 26, New Brunswick announced plans to reinstate a 14-day self-isolation requirement on out-of-province travellers, thus ending any free-travel amongst the member provinces.[8]
In response, Nova Scotian Premier Stephen McNeil commented that despite the temporary withdrawal of other provinces from the agreement, he called the bubble concept a success for Atlantic Canadian's mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.[9]
Rules[edit]
At the beginning of the pandemic, peace officers restricted movement between provinces in the Atlantic region. After the agreement to begin the bubble, officers stayed on the border and checked identification for those travelling between provinces. Residents of each of the four provinces are allowed to travel freely amongst member provinces. Travellers from outside of the member provinces are asked to provide proof of plans to quarantine for 14 days. They are also screened for COVID-19 symptoms.[10] New Brunswick, which borders Quebec is the only province with a land border to restrict vehicular traffic.[10] Each province has different rules for entering the province for travellers from outside the Atlantic Bubble.[10] Air travellers are screened for COVID-19 and asked for proof of plans to quarantine for 14 days.[10][11]
Prince Edward Island[edit]
Prince Edward Island has more stringent restrictions than the other provinces and requires advance written approval from the government for travellers from outside of the Atlantic Bubble.[10]
Travellers from outside the Atlantic Bubble can only be approved for the following reasons:[12]
- Court appearance
- Family connections
- Emergency medical purpose for human or animal
- Exceptional or compassionate circumstances
- Parent or travel escort of child(ren) in shared custody with parent in another province
- Permanent relocation as a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
- Seasonal property owner or Family connection to seasonal property owner
- Student, and escorting parents
- Travelling worker
- Request for reconsideration of previous travel application
Incidents[edit]
- July 6: A truck driver in Georgetown, Prince Edward Island was fined for failing to self isolate after travelling outside of the Atlantic Bubble.[13]
- September 4–7: Four students were fined by RCMP in Antigonish and Wolfville in Nova Scotia for failure to self-isolate.[14]
- September 10: A student was fined in Wolfville, Nova Scotia for breaking quarantine.[15]
- September 21: A man from North Rustico, PEI was fined for failure to self-isolate.[16]
- October 23: A man from Kentville, Nova Scotia was fined for failing to self isolate after travelling outside the Atlantic Bubble.[17]
- November 2: WestJet suspended all flights to the Atlantic provinces, citing lack of interest, due in part to the member province's disinterest in travel outside of the bubble.[18][19][20]
Reception[edit]
A poll found 81% of Atlantic Canadians in favour of the Atlantic Bubble.[21]
Criticism[edit]
Critics call into question the constitutionality of the Atlantic Bubble.[22] According to Section 6 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms:
(2) Every citizen of Canada and every person who has the status of a permanent resident of Canada has the righta) to move to and take up residence in any province; and b) to pursue the gaining of a livelihood in any province.
— Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Section 6
Therefore, detractors of the bubble suggest that the concept of the bubble impedes the rights of Canadian citizens and permanent residents.[22]
In September 2020, the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador ruled that, while existing travel restrictions do violate Section 6 of the Charter, the violation is permitted under Section 1, which allows "limits [on Charter rights]... as can be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society."[23] The Canadian Civil Liberties Association is appealing the decision.[24]
See also[edit]
- COVID-19 pandemic in New Brunswick
- COVID-19 pandemic in Prince Edward Island
- COVID-19 pandemic in Nova Scotia
- COVID-19 pandemic in Newfoundland and Labrador
References[edit]
- ^ Bureau, Reuters/INQUIRER net U. S. (October 26, 2020). "Canada's Atlantic region shut out world to beat COVID-19, and the economy has done OK". INQUIRER.net USA.
- ^ a b Scotia, Communications Nova (May 11, 2018). "No New Cases of COVID-19, Atlantic Travel Bubble Announced". News Releases.
- ^ Ross, Shane (June 24, 2020). "Atlantic provinces agree to regional COVID-19 pandemic bubble". CBC News PEI. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
- ^ "Atlantic Provinces Form Travel Bubble" (PDF). The Council of Atlantic Premiers. June 24, 2020. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
- ^ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/atlantic-bubble-burst-1.5812454
- ^ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-covid-19-morrison-briefing-1.5812411
- ^ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/andrew-furey-news-conference-deer-lake-dean-ball-1.5812313
- ^ https://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/n-b-pulls-out-of-atlantic-bubble-fredericton-region-moving-to-orange-phase-1.5205882
- ^ https://www.halifaxtoday.ca/local-news/premier-calls-atlantic-bubble-a-success-despite-withdrawal-of-other-provinces-3134209
- ^ a b c d e "What you need to know as Atlantic bubble begins Friday". CBC News New Brunswick. July 2, 2020. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
- ^ "P.E.I. unlikely to change 14-day quarantine before Christmas; 1 active COVID-19 case remains". Atlantic. October 27, 2020.
- ^ Toolkit, Web Experience (April 17, 2020). "Pre-Travel Approval Process". www.princeedwardisland.ca.
- ^ https://www.journalpioneer.com/news/local/trucker-in-pei-fined-1000-for-failing-to-self-isolate-470060/
- ^ "RCMP fine 4 Nova Scotia university students $1,000 each for failing to self isolate". Global News.
- ^ "Another out-of-province student gets $1K fine for not self-isolating". CBC News Nova Scotia. September 12, 2020. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
- ^ Higgins, Brian (September 21, 2020). "P.E.I. man fined for failing to self-isolate due to COVID-19". CBC News PEI. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
- ^ https://www.thechronicleherald.ca/news/provincial/kentville-man-fined-for-failing-to-self-isolate-after-travelling-outside-of-atlantic-bubble-513954/
- ^ Reynolds, Christopher (October 14, 2020). "WestJet cutting flights to Atlantic Canada, laying off staff". Atlantic.
- ^ Chisholm, Cassidy (October 14, 2020). "Cuts to WestJet service 'a major blow' to Atlantic airports as region still isolated due to COVID-19". CBC News Nova Scotia. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
- ^ Wherry, Aaron (October 16, 2020). "WestJet's retreat from Atlantic Canada pushes the federal government into a corner". CBC News. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
- ^ "Nova Scotians steadfast on keeping borders shut : poll". HalifaxToday.ca.
- ^ a b English, Jill; Murphy, Tom (September 16, 2020). "Support for Atlantic bubble remains strong even as some question its constitutionality". CBC News Nova Scotia. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
- ^ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/nl-travel-ban-supreme-court-decision-1.5727549
- ^ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/travel-ban-appeal-decision-1.5767641
