Canada’s Minister of Transport, Marc Garneau announced today that everyone traveling by air will be required to wear a mask. Meanwhile if you are travelling by boat, bus or rail you may be required or asked to do so as well:
Today, the Minister of Transport, the Honourable Marc Garneau,
announced new measures requiring all air passengers to have a
non-medical mask or face covering to cover their mouth and nose during
travel. These measures come into effect at noon EDT on April 20, 2020.
When travelling by air, travellers will be asked to cover their mouth and nose:
- at Canadian airport screening checkpoints, where the screeners
cannot always keep two metres of separation between themselves and the
traveller; - when they cannot physically distance from others, or as directed by the airline employees; and
- when directed to do so by a public health order or public health official.
Aviation passengers on all flights departing or arriving at Canadian
airports will also be required to demonstrate they have the necessary
non-medical mask or face covering during the boarding process otherwise
they will not be allowed to continue on their journey. Passengers should follow the current Public Health Agency of Canada’s guidance on face coverings.
When travelling by marine modes of transportation, travellers are
encouraged to wear non-medical masks or face coverings whenever
possible. In addition, operators of ferries and essential passenger
vessels will, when feasible:
- provide public messaging to travellers about the need to have a
non-medical mask or face covering to cover their mouth and nose during
their journey when they cannot maintain physical distance from others,
and that passengers could be subject to denial of boarding should they
fail to comply.
Passengers travelling by rail or motor carrier/bus modes of
transportation are also strongly encouraged to wear non-medical masks or
face coverings as much as possible. Passengers may be asked by the
transportation operator to cover their noses and mouths when physical
distancing is not possible.