Borders Between Atlantic Provinces Now Open For Residents

Premier McNeil has announced the creation of an Atlantic bubble.

Beginning July 3 residents of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island will be allowed to travel within the four provinces without having to isolate for 14 days.

Nova Scotia has not has a new case of COVID-19 since June 9.

The Council of Atlantic Premiers announced travel restrictions in Atlantic Canada will be eased as COVID-19 case numbers remain low in each province.

Anyone arriving from a Canadian province outside the Atlantic bubble will still have to self-isolate for 14 days and will have to obtain an e-mail from that provincial government confirming they have done so before being admitted into another Atlantic province.

The public health directives from each province must still be followed including not traveling if you have any symptoms of COVID-19 and practising physical distancing and good hand hygiene.

Each province will choose their own processes to track and monitor travelers.

McNeil says he and his fellow premiers are making the announcement now to give tourism operators time to prepare.

But the premier also notes the commerce within our region has less to do with tourism and more to do with people coming for health care and shopping.

“Whether it’s a car dealership where people in New Brunswick come to buy a car in Nova Scotia and take it home, or people just coming back and forth to do shopping, it’s an important part of that area and this will allow that to happen.”

The premier stressed it the responsibility of each Nova Scotia to look out for one another and do what they can to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

“It’s not too much to ask of me or the rest of us, that perhaps we should be wearing that mask, when we’re out. Particularly, when we go into a confined space like a restaurant, bank, coffee shop, until we do our business and then take it of if we want to not wear it when we’re walking up and down the street.”

Premier McNeil says the province needs to continue to ease restrictions around COVID-19 in a slow, methodical way.

Reported by Ed Halverson 
E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com
Twitter: @edwardhalverson