Majority of Canadians call for inter-provincial travel ban: survey

An online survey conducted by Research Co. showed 80 per cent of Canadians agree with prohibiting non-essential travel from one province to another.

The survey, released Monday, sought input from 1,000 Canadians on a potential travel ban, and found the majority say more should be done to prevent inter-provincial trips during the pandemic.

It comes after a push for B.C. to tighten its borders to both foreign travellers, and those from other provinces.

Many destinations, including Whistler ski resort, have seen an increase in tourists from Quebec and Ontario in recent months, prompting concerns over the spread of COVID-19.

Last week the B.C. government’s legal team concluded the province cannot legally restrict non-essential travel.

Atlantic provinces are currently restricting entry for people from other provinces and territories.

1:56 Tourism Association of B.C. pushing back against potential inter-provincial travel ban

That move was supported by the majority of Canadians, according to the survey, and many others want even greater measures in place.

More than 70 per cent of Canadians are in favour of a non-essential travel ban inside their own province.

“A proportion that rises to 78 per cent among those aged 55 and over and 81 per cent among those who voted for the Liberal Party in the 2019 federal election,” Research Co. said in a release.

An advisory against non-essential travel in B.C. was issued in mid-November but has no legal recourse.

It’s recommended that British Columbians stay close to home and avoid taking trips for pleasure at this time.

Unlike the Quarantine Act, which requires anyone entering Canada, including Canadian waters, to quarantine for 14 days, the act also bans all non-essential travel into Canada.

A Quarantine Act conviction could see violators fined up to $300,000 and possibly sentenced to jail.

2:22 Push to restrict interprovincial travel hits snag in B.C.

The survey found that nationwide Alberta ranks the lowest when it comes to how the government has handled the pandemic.

Satisfaction with the Alberta government sits at only 34 per cent.

In Ontario, more than half of respondents say they approve of the government’s handling of the pandemic, followed by Quebec at 65 per cent satisfaction.

B.C. took the top spot, with 72 per cent of respondents saying they think the government is doing a good job, according to the survey.

Survey results are based on an online survey conducted from Jan.18 to Jan. 20, 2021. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.1 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty.