Rena MacDonald, a New Brunswick resident living in the Saint John area, was thrilled to cross the Nova Scotia border Wednesday morning knowing she wouldn’t need to isolate when she finally reunites with family for the first time in nine months.
Asked who would receive the first hug when she reaches Antigonish, she happily said: “It’s going to be my dad.”
She and many others were expecting to enter the province last week when travel restrictions across the Atlantic region were set to loosen.
But the day before the June 23 date, N.S. Premier Iain Rankin announced New Brunswickers would still be subject to isolation requirements because the province had already opened up to the rest of Canada, if people received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
“It was really, really hard,” she said.
The change in policy led to two separate protests on the Trans-Canada Highway, first in Thomson Station, N.S., then at the Nova Scotia-New Brunswick border.
But with some time off from her own business, it was a car full of smiling faces.
“We’re really excited,” MacDonald said.
What you need to know
Atlantic Canadians will be allowed entry regardless of vaccination status, but people from other provinces and territories need to follow these guidelines:
- No isolation required, but testing recommended for fully vaccinated (2 doses of COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days before arriving in Nova Scotia) Canadians
- 7-day isolation and two negative test results needed for partially vaccinated (first dose of COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days before arriving in Nova Scotia) Canadians to leave isolation
- 14-day isolation with testing recommended for Canadians who have not received a COVID-19 vaccine 14 days prior to arriving in Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Robert Strang said Tuesday people from outside Atlantic Canada may be stopped and required to provide their approved check-in form — and proof of vaccination — but that Atlantic Canadians and other regular commuters would have a “fast-track stream.”
“If you’re coming from outside Atlantic Canada, you have to understand there’s a good chance you might get stopped,” he said.
Traffic appeared to move fairly quickly Wednesday morning, even as lineups started to grow.
‘Huge positive impact’ of loosened restrictions
Amherst Mayor David Kogon says there’s a “great deal of excitement and relief” now that travel restrictions are loosened, especially for the region’s neighbours.
“The freedom of movement between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia has made a huge positive impact on the lives of the people in the area and it’s going to make it a great summer,” he said. “A lot of people are now very happy compared to the way they were a week ago.”
Fredrick White and his partner, from Hagersville, Ont. were eager to cross the border to enjoy vacation.
“We’ve been coming down here, to the Maritimes, for the last four years,” he said. “We come down now and we stay till after October.”
But the trek across the border will have a much longer-lasting impact for Bruce Deveau,, who is moving to Nova Scotia.
“We just lived 15 years in North Bay, Ontario, that’s where I retired from the military,” he said. “Last night we stayed overnight in Moncton, so we’re just heading to our new house in Nova Scotia.”
He said the process at the border was “very slick.”
Others who weren’t reconnecting with family were able to take their time Wednesday morning.
“We were going to get up 7 in the morning just to be on the safe side,” added Dave Dyment, “and we were just too lazy to do that, so luckily it worked out.”
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