COVID-19 information for travellers within Canada

From: Transport Canada

What you need to know before you travel

As you travel, you may be subject to health checks. If you are unwell, please stay home.

All air travellers, with few exceptions, are required to wear a non-medical mask or face covering while travelling.

In all other modes, operators may require travellers to wear a non-medical mask or face covering whenever possible, especially when interacting with others, and when they cannot maintain a distance of 2 metres.

The following people should not wear a mask:

  • children under 2 years old
  • people who need help to remove a mask
  • people who provide a medical certificate certifying that they are unable to wear a face mask for a medical reason

Canadian travellers are encouraged to continue following public health authorities' recommendations.

I am travelling within Canada by:

Air

Identification documents

Where possible, it is the traveller’s responsibility to keep identification documents up to date. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak and limited access to some provincial and territorial service centres, expired identification documents are temporarily accepted for travel within Canada.

This applies only if:

  • You are travelling by air
  • You are using domestic air carriers to travel within Canada
  • Your identification document was issued by a Canadian government
  • Your identification document expired on March 1, 2020, or after.

This temporary measure is in effect until January 31, 2021.

Non-medical masks or face coverings

You must have a non-medical mask or face covering that covers your mouth and nose during your travel through Canadian airports and during your flight. Air operators must notify each passenger, and receive confirmation, that they have a face covering as early as possible during their journey. This prevents situations where passengers arrive at the airport without a non-medical mask or face covering and can be done at the online booking or online check-in, or physically at registration or, less ideally, at the check-in counter.

If you don’t have a non-medical mask or face covering, you won’t be allowed to enter the restricted areas of the airport and continue with your journey.

You will be asked to wear the non-medical mask or face covering:

  • at the security screening checkpoints
  • at the boarding gate
  • during the flight when you can’t physically distance from others
  • when asked by an airline employee, a public health official, staff from the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority, or a Canada Border Services Agency officer

You will be asked to briefly step back 2 metres, lower your face covering, and put it back on at:

  • the security screening checkpoint
  • the boarding gate, to verify identification, after handing documents to airline staff

You will be asked to remove your non-medical mask or face covering:

  • during the flight, when it could be dangerous to wear a mask (like during the use of oxygen masks or other emergency situation) or when eating, drinking or taking oral medication
  • at the Customs Hall
    • you’ll need to remove your mask to have your photo taken at the Primary Inspection Kiosk
    • whenever a Canada Border Services Agency officer, Public Health Agency of Canada employee, or provincial/territorial official asks you to

If you are traveling out of one of Canada's major airports, they may have procedures for you to follow:

Transport Canada owned airports

The same guidance around flying out of a Canadian airport is also being followed at airports that Transport Canada owns. You will be expected to:

  • wear a non-medical mask or face covering to cover your mouth and nose during travel
  • respond to health questions asked by air operators regarding COVID-19 symptoms at check-in

Due the remote location of many of TC-owned airports, you may also be asked to follow local public health authority advice to minimize the risk to the community. This could include answering questions when you arrive or completing a self-declaration form.

To limit the number of people in the building and allow for additional space for physical distancing, we are asking those waiting for arriving passengers to wait outside the terminal or in their vehicle.

The following steps are also being taken to protect employees working at the airports:

  • increased and frequent cleaning and sanitization of high-touch points throughout the airport, including employee workstations and areas
  • reducing air terminal hours to allow for our cleaning services to more thoroughly clean and disinfect the facility
  • more hand sanitizer stations throughout the terminal
  • physical distancing measures in the terminal
  • restricting public access to airport administration offices

Arriving at your destination

When you arrive at your Canadian destination, you may be subject to further measures taken by the provincial or territorial government to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

More information

Water

You should have a non-medical mask or face covering that covers your mouth and nose while you are travelling. You may be asked to wear it. If you don’t have a mask, you might not be allowed to board the vessel.

You are encouraged to wear a face covering whenever possible, especially in situations where physical distancing of 2 metres cannot be maintained.

If your non-medical mask or face covering becomes damp or wet, you are encouraged to replace it with a dry one. A reusable non-medical mask that is damp or dirty can be put into a plastic bag until it can be safely laundered.

Pleasure craft

During recreational boating season, it is important to stay diligent or stay home to limit the spread of COVID-19. If you do go out on the water, follow your provincial or territorial guidelines, as well as direction provided by local or regional health authorities.

Pleasure craft in Arctic communities (North of 60)

Measures were introduced to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission in remote and vulnerable Arctic communities. As of June 1, 2020 until at least February 28, 2021, pleasure craft will be prohibited from operating within Canada's Arctic coastal waters (north of the 60th parallel), as well as in the coastal areas of northern Quebec and Labrador.

These restrictions do not apply to pleasure craft used by local communities, or used for essential transportation or subsistence fishing, harvesting and hunting.

Pleasure craft in Southern Canada (south of 60)

Guidance has been developed for the use of pleasure craft in Canadian waters south of the 60th parallel and should be considered alongside provincial, territorial and local measures to ensure the safety of everyone on the water. Related to this is also Guidance for Physical Distancing and Safe Boating [PDF].

Canadians who want to operate their pleasure craft south of the 60th parallel, as well as on inland lakes and rivers anywhere in Canada, should follow the advice from their local health authority.

If you plan to use a marina or boat launch, refer to our Guidance for Canadians Using Marinas and Boat Launches [PDF].

We have also published a guide on Safe Boating for Canadians to Reduce the Burden on Emergency Responders [PDF].

More information

Road

You should wear a non-medical mask or face covering that covers your mouth and nose while you are travelling.

Wear a mask when:

  • boarding or exiting the vehicle
  • asked by the motor coach or bus operator, or a public health official

More information

Rail

All rail travellers should wear a non-medical mask or face covering that covers their mouth and nose while they are travelling, especially in situations where physical distancing guidelines cannot be maintained.

Wear a mask when:

  • boarding or exiting the train
  • asked by a railway employee or a public health official

More information

Public transit

For the most part, public transit is the responsibility of the provincial or municipal governments. Please visit their websites for more information.

Province/Territory

Link(s) to Transit Resources for Passengers

British Columbia

BC Transit COVID-19 Information

TransLink Coronavirus

Alberta

Calgary Transit – COVID Rider Resource

Edmonton Transit COVID-19

Saskatchewan

Saskatoon Transit Response to COVID-19

Manitoba

MB COVID-19 Transportation Advice

EN Winnipeg Transit Response to COVID-19

FR Winnipeg Transit - Mesures liées au COVID-19

Ontario

GO Transit Safety Measures

OC Transpo COVID-19

Quebec

Société de transport de Montréal COVID-19 Prevention

New Brunswick

Fredericton Transit

Saint John Transit Newsroom

Codiac Transpo

Nova Scotia

Halifax Transit

Prince Edward Island

T3 Transit COVID-19 Update

Newfoundland and Labrador

Metrobus COVID-19 Response

Northwest Territories

GNWT - Taxis and Public Transportation

I am travelling to Canada

COVID-19 testing required for people flying into Canada

Starting January 7, 2021, air travellers 5 years of age or older will be required to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test result to the airline prior to boarding international flights bound for Canada.

Please visit:

 

 

You can see if you may have been exposed to COVID-19 during your travels by checking Locations where you may have been exposed to COVID-19.

Third-party information liability disclaimer

Some of the information on this page has been provided by external sources. The Government of Canada is not responsible for the accuracy, reliability or currency of the information supplied by external sources. Users wishing to rely upon this information should consult directly with the source of the information. Content provided by external sources is not subject to official languages, privacy and accessibility requirements.

Related links

Transport Canada is closely monitoring the COVID-19 situation. In response, we have issued some transportation-related measures and guidance. Please check if any of these measures apply to you.

You may experience longer than usual wait times or partial service interruptions. If you cannot get through, please contact us by email.

For information on COVID-19 updates, please visit Canada.ca/coronavirus.

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