Canadian Railroads > "Ocean" sleeper sales for Nov. & Dec. blocked

As with the Canadian, VIA has blocked the sale of sleeping car space on the Ocean until January. I was going to book a November trip and I saw this notice, which wasn't there a day or two ago when I last checked.

https://reservia.viarail.ca/images/FareMatrix/traininfo.png Due to the uncertainty with the COVID situation, we have blocked the sale of Sleeper Plus Class in November and December on the Ocean. This measure will remain in place until such time as we have a better understanding of the services we will be able to offer. Existing reservations remain valid at this moment.

I guess an 'Intercity Ocean' could resume next week between Halifax and Campbellton only...... if VIA was so inclined (but we all know that's not going to happen!)

An 'Atlantic Bubble' was just announced effective July 3rd that will allow residents of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland & Labrador to travel within the 4 provinces without having to isolate for 14 days.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-atlantic-bubble-covid19-1.5625133

But anyone crossing the New Brunswick-Quebec border or coming into the Atlantic Provinces from elsewhere in Canada will still have to isolate for 14 days.

The Atlantic Provinces have a pop. of 2.5 million but there are currently only 20 active Covid cases here.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/25/20 10:36 by ghCBNS.

How on Earth do they expect to enforce that?  I can see flights. And checking plane passengers on arrival. But enforcement after? Good luck with that. That would never fly (no pun intended) here. Completely unconstitutional. Como and his buddies are trying but doubt they will be able to enforce. 

andersonb109 Wrote:
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> How on Earth do they expect to enforce that? 

They've been enforcing it since March and it seem to have been working quite well.  

Unconstitutional here too but most seem to be quite happy with the way things are going (unlike in the US).......but sure there's probably going to be some court challenges too. It's a health emergency so it probably trumps (sorry!!) the Charter of Rights guarantee of free travel among the provinces and territories.

The lock down on interprovincial travel in the Maritimes has been in effect since March. What is happening on July 3 is the four Atlantic Provinces are opening their borders to each other only. With a pop of 2.5 million the numbers of Covid here are very low. Last new case of Covid on PEI was in April. It's been 3 weeks since a new case was detected in Nova Scotia or Newfoundland. New Brunswick was about 20 active cases in the Campbellton region from someone who had crossed from Quebec and didn't isolate. The NB-Quebec border will remain closed to all except essential travel.


 



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 06/29/20 17:44 by ghCBNS.

In my business experience the Canadian culture seems to be to follow the intent of the rules.  We Americans always seem to be looking for the loop holes.  As some of my medical friends have commented, the American culture is not well suited for fighting Covid, we are way too independent and undisciplined.  Not really a right or wrong, but in the current health crisis I think the Canadians have the advantage.

JBWX