• The TUGBBS forums are completely free and open to the public and exist as the absolute best place for owners to get help and advice about their timeshares for more than 30 years!

    Join Tens of Thousands of other Owners just like you here to get any and all Timeshare questions answered 24 hours a day!
  • TUG started 30 years ago in October 1993 as a group of regular Timeshare owners just like you!

    Read about our 30th anniversary: Happy 30th Birthday TUG!
  • TUG has a YouTube Channel to produce weekly short informative videos on popular Timeshare topics!

    Free memberships for every 50 subscribers!

    Visit TUG on Youtube!
  • TUG has now saved timeshare owners more than $21,000,000 dollars just by finding us in time to rescind a new Timeshare purchase! A truly incredible milestone!

    Read more here: TUG saves owners more than $21 Million dollars
  • Sign up to get the TUG Newsletter for free!

    60,000+ subscribing owners! A weekly recap of the best Timeshare resort reviews and the most popular topics discussed by owners!
  • Our official "end my sales presentation early" T-shirts are available again! Also come with the option for a free membership extension with purchase to offset the cost!

    All T-shirt options here!
  • A few of the most common links here on the forums for newbies and guests!

Canadian travel to the US or other countries C-19 What’s up?

CanuckTravlr

TUG Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2016
Messages
2,011
Reaction score
2,653
Points
324
Location
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Resorts Owned
HGVC Ocean 22
Canadians, unlike US citizens, may shortly be allowed to travel to the EU and four other European countries in the Schengen zone. It will likely first require Canada to reciprocate by lifting its ban on non-essential, international travellers from the EU. Travel to Ireland and the UK are not covered by this change.

 

"Roger"

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
4,414
Reaction score
3,213
Points
598
My wife and I currently have two trips to Europe planned. Obviously, both are in doubt. I had thought that there are some places in Canada that I wouldn't mind going back to. Ooops.

While disappointing to me, I think, given the current conditions in the US, Europe and Canada are doing the right (wise) thing. Best of luck to them.
 

MULTIZ321

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
31,266
Reaction score
8,995
Points
1,048
Location
FT. LAUDERDALE, FL
Resorts Owned
BLUEWATER BY SPINNAKER HHI
ROYAL HOLIDAY CLUB RHC (POINTS)

MULTIZ321

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
31,266
Reaction score
8,995
Points
1,048
Location
FT. LAUDERDALE, FL
Resorts Owned
BLUEWATER BY SPINNAKER HHI
ROYAL HOLIDAY CLUB RHC (POINTS)
Canada's Sparrows Are Singing a New Song. You'll Hear it Soon.


.


Richard
A 'Viral ' New Bird Song in Canada is Causing Sparrows to Change Their Tune.


.


Richard
 

CanuckTravlr

TUG Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2016
Messages
2,011
Reaction score
2,653
Points
324
Location
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Resorts Owned
HGVC Ocean 22
That link seems to be broken, Richard.

I can confirm, in talking to family, friends and colleagues here, that the majority sentiment is to keep the border closed for the foreseeable future. One of the largest early contributors to Covid-19 here was American visitors, together with Canadian business travellers and snowbirds returning to Canada from the USA, in February and March.

It has not gone unnoticed (with some bemusement) that the current biggest proponents of reopening the border are the congressmen of certain northern states whose economies depend to some degree on Canadian tourists. Quite the change from just a few months ago when there were certain people demanding that the US put troops along the northern border, since it was considered a "national security threat"!

It's certainly not that we don't like you!! I miss being able to visit with our American friends and family. We would love to have you back again and be able to travel south of the border, too! But we have spent a lot of time, money and effort (plus the sacrificed lives of many elderly and front-line workers) getting things relatively under control here. With the current resurgence in the USA, there is very little appetite to undo that and introduce large numbers of American or other foreign visitors.

We have been fortunate to have had a relatively coordinated and consistent approach that has been embraced at both the national and provincial levels. This has included programmes to help both businesses and people survive the lockdown financially. It seems to have mostly worked, but we are certainly not without issues, especially as it relates to the tourist, restaurant and entertainment sectors. We are just starting to experiment with how to re-open the economy again, while hopefully avoiding a resurgence of Covid-19.

With our much smaller population it would be easy for our system to be overwhelmed by potentially infected foreign visitors. The numbers of Americans that we see claiming that they have a "constitutional right" to not wear masks and exercise proper physical distancing, is also very disconcerting. We do have some of those types here, too, but they tend to get shouted down pretty quickly. Their rights stop when they interfere with someone else's rights to live safely.

Very strange times. I suspect we will be having to face a permanent "new normal", even after things get back to something even close to the "old normal". How we handle the border issue is just one of those things.
 
Last edited:

MULTIZ321

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
31,266
Reaction score
8,995
Points
1,048
Location
FT. LAUDERDALE, FL
Resorts Owned
BLUEWATER BY SPINNAKER HHI
ROYAL HOLIDAY CLUB RHC (POINTS)
That link seems to be broken, Richard.

I can confirm, in talking to family, friends and colleagues here, that the majority sentiment is to keep the border closed for the foreseeable future. One of the largest early contributors to Covid-19 here was American visitors and Canadian snowbirds returning to Canada from the USA in February and March.

It has not gone unnoticed (with some bemusement) that the current biggest proponents of reopening the border are the congressmen of certain northern states whose economies depend to some degree on Canadian tourists. Quite the change from just a few months ago when there were certain people demanding that the US put troops along the northern border, since it was considered a "national security threat"!

It's certainly not that we don't like you!! I miss being able to visit with our American friends and family. We would love to have you back again and be able to travel south of the border, too! But we have spent a lot of time, money and effort (plus the sacrificed lives of many elderly and front-line workers) getting things relatively under control here. With the current resurgence in the USA, there is very little appetite to undo that and introduce large numbers of American or other foreign visitors.

We have been fortunate to have had a relatively coordinated and consistent approach that has been embraced at both the national and provincial level. This has included programmes to help both businesses and people survive the lockdown financially. It seems to have mostly worked, but we are certainly not without issues, especially as it relates to the tourist, restaurant and entertainment sectors. We are just starting to experiment with how to re-open the economy again, while hopefully avoiding a resurgence of Covid-19.

With our much smaller population it would be easy for our system to be overwhelmed by potentially infected foreign visitors. The numbers of Americans that we see claiming that they have a "constitutional right" to not wear masks and exercise proper physical distancing, is also very disconcerting. We do have some of those types here, too, but they tend to get shouted down pretty quickly. Their rights stop when they interfere with someone else's rights to live safely.

Very strange times. I suspect we will be having to face a permanent "new normal", even after things get back to something even close to the "old normal". How we handle the border issue is just one of those things.
I updated the link - see if it works now.

Richard
 

CanuckTravlr

TUG Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2016
Messages
2,011
Reaction score
2,653
Points
324
Location
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Resorts Owned
HGVC Ocean 22
They just announced the latest extension of the closure of the Canada/US border to non-essential travellers. The border will now remain closed until at least August 21st. This is not unexpected, nor will it be surprising if there are further extensions. The exemptions for immediate family members, announced in June, still apply.

The ban on non-US, non-essential visitors, is currently in place until July 31st. It will not be surprising if that, too, is extended. However, the recent opening up of several European, Caribbean and other countries to Canadians may have some impact on that decision, especially if there are reciprocity arrangements and Covid-19 is mostly under control.

 
Last edited:

Retired!

Guest
Joined
Dec 8, 2019
Messages
14
Reaction score
4
Points
13
Resorts Owned
Marriott Grande Vista, Marriott Grand Chateau
That link seems to be broken, Richard.

I can confirm, in talking to family, friends and colleagues here, that the majority sentiment is to keep the border closed for the foreseeable future. One of the largest early contributors to Covid-19 here was American visitors, together with Canadian business travellers and snowbirds returning to Canada from the USA, in February and March.

It has not gone unnoticed (with some bemusement) that the current biggest proponents of reopening the border are the congressmen of certain northern states whose economies depend to some degree on Canadian tourists. Quite the change from just a few months ago when there were certain people demanding that the US put troops along the northern border, since it was considered a "national security threat"!

It's certainly not that we don't like you!! I miss being able to visit with our American friends and family. We would love to have you back again and be able to travel south of the border, too! But we have spent a lot of time, money and effort (plus the sacrificed lives of many elderly and front-line workers) getting things relatively under control here. With the current resurgence in the USA, there is very little appetite to undo that and introduce large numbers of American or other foreign visitors.

We have been fortunate to have had a relatively coordinated and consistent approach that has been embraced at both the national and provincial levels. This has included programmes to help both businesses and people survive the lockdown financially. It seems to have mostly worked, but we are certainly not without issues, especially as it relates to the tourist, restaurant and entertainment sectors. We are just starting to experiment with how to re-open the economy again, while hopefully avoiding a resurgence of Covid-19.

With our much smaller population it would be easy for our system to be overwhelmed by potentially infected foreign visitors. The numbers of Americans that we see claiming that they have a "constitutional right" to not wear masks and exercise proper physical distancing, is also very disconcerting. We do have some of those types here, too, but they tend to get shouted down pretty quickly. Their rights stop when they interfere with someone else's rights to live safely.

Very strange times. I suspect we will be having to face a permanent "new normal", even after things get back to something even close to the "old normal". How we handle the border issue is just one of those things.
 

Retired!

Guest
Joined
Dec 8, 2019
Messages
14
Reaction score
4
Points
13
Resorts Owned
Marriott Grande Vista, Marriott Grand Chateau
Canadians indeed are wary of travellers from outside their immediate area. We had to cancel a trip to the Maritime provinces this summer because we are from Ontario and not permitted into the Maritime bubble. We had also planned on travelling to our timeshare in the US later this summer to meet up with our daughter and her family who live in the US, but Air Canada cancelled the direct flight. Our American grandkids are not allowed into Canada under the current definition of family exceptions---so think it will be a long time, unfortunately, before tourists in general will be able to enter Canada easily.
 

Fredflintstone

TUG Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2018
Messages
1,928
Reaction score
2,525
Points
324
Resorts Owned
Rent only
That link seems to be broken, Richard.

I can confirm, in talking to family, friends and colleagues here, that the majority sentiment is to keep the border closed for the foreseeable future. One of the largest early contributors to Covid-19 here was American visitors, together with Canadian business travellers and snowbirds returning to Canada from the USA, in February and March.

It has not gone unnoticed (with some bemusement) that the current biggest proponents of reopening the border are the congressmen of certain northern states whose economies depend to some degree on Canadian tourists. Quite the change from just a few months ago when there were certain people demanding that the US put troops along the northern border, since it was considered a "national security threat"!

It's certainly not that we don't like you!! I miss being able to visit with our American friends and family. We would love to have you back again and be able to travel south of the border, too! But we have spent a lot of time, money and effort (plus the sacrificed lives of many elderly and front-line workers) getting things relatively under control here. With the current resurgence in the USA, there is very little appetite to undo that and introduce large numbers of American or other foreign visitors.

We have been fortunate to have had a relatively coordinated and consistent approach that has been embraced at both the national and provincial levels. This has included programmes to help both businesses and people survive the lockdown financially. It seems to have mostly worked, but we are certainly not without issues, especially as it relates to the tourist, restaurant and entertainment sectors. We are just starting to experiment with how to re-open the economy again, while hopefully avoiding a resurgence of Covid-19.

With our much smaller population it would be easy for our system to be overwhelmed by potentially infected foreign visitors. The numbers of Americans that we see claiming that they have a "constitutional right" to not wear masks and exercise proper physical distancing, is also very disconcerting. We do have some of those types here, too, but they tend to get shouted down pretty quickly. Their rights stop when they interfere with someone else's rights to live safely.

Very strange times. I suspect we will be having to face a permanent "new normal", even after things get back to something even close to the "old normal". How we handle the border issue is just one of those things.

I think you are bang on here. What’s interesting is Americans are being allowed to enter Canada if they say they are enroute to Alaska. However, many have been fined for stating they are enroute to Alaska but found to be camping and hiking in BC and Alberta Parks. Are they going to close that loophole? Well, it’s wait and see.

I don’t see travelling to the US until at least 2021. That’s why I cancelled my December Hawaii trip. Personally, I may not travel out of Canada until we have a vaccine. To me, a vacation does not include masking/gloving up, staying 6 feet away from anyone, quarantining in my room for 2 weeks. I would rather stay home.

What I have sure noticed here is a huge rise of people camping and hiking in the Parks. I drive through Kananaskis Country (west of Calgary, Alberta) the other day and the cars parked on the side of the road to hike were unbelievable.

Although I am getting travel fever, I know waiting is best until the coast is clear. I’ll just keep saving my travel money and be sure to do a long trip once this is all over.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 

AJCts411

TUG Member
Joined
Apr 4, 2017
Messages
944
Reaction score
824
Points
203
Resorts Owned
Hyatt Sunset x 2
I was looking at the border to reopen sooner rather than later both for personal and business travel. With the opening recently extended until at least late August, and with the covid on the USA side as it is, the common belief in my circle is that even a September 21 is doubtful. I think we will hear the rumblings of this early in September. I've canceled my 39 & 40 Key West weeks. But I held on to the flight (until September) should things improve unexpectedly. I expect here will be plenty of availability to rent.

I personally don't lay blame on Americans or snowbirds bring in Coivd because I don't this is factual to the extend some have expressed. Certainly there were some, but I do blame those who traveled to the epicenter willfully for their personal reasons. Those Americans on the way to Alaska, that bent the entry rules...well they paid a hefty price, but just too bad the fines were not 10 fold more.

As this epidemic continues, we have also put on hold our 2021 winter vacations, as have many others classifed as snowbirds. That's going to be a big hit on those host communities and what I fear will be the basis of a push by the USA politicians to open the boarders prematurely. In any case, I'd say the onuis is on the individual to do thier part to keep themselves safe and by extension their community if you travel.
 

jabberwocky

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2016
Messages
2,829
Reaction score
2,583
Points
348
Resorts Owned
SVR, SDO, WKORV-N, Westin Flex, HGVC (BLVD)
Some insurers are starting to offer Covid coverage for Canadian travellers. (May be behind paywall)

 

cman

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 15, 2005
Messages
719
Reaction score
814
Points
453
No country should allow american tourists at this point. I'm American, and can assure you that we don't have a plan or strategy to get this thing under control. The second that Canada opens its borders, Americans will flock there and spread the virus. We're so deranged, that we've made mask wearing a political statement. Now, you Canadians are more than welcome to visit, but it's not in your best interest to let us cross your borders. We've lost our collective minds. Be safe.
 

Retired!

Guest
Joined
Dec 8, 2019
Messages
14
Reaction score
4
Points
13
Resorts Owned
Marriott Grande Vista, Marriott Grand Chateau
No country should allow american tourists at this point. I'm American, and can assure you that we don't have a plan or strategy to get this thing under control. The second that Canada opens its borders, Americans will flock there and spread the virus. We're so deranged, that we've made mask wearing a political statement. Now, you Canadians are more than welcome to visit, but it's not in your best interest to let us cross your borders. We've lost our collective minds. Be safe.
Well I think the tale is not completely told yet in Canada --we have recently begun more openings in various parts of the country and numbers are upticking. Hopefully, we will be able to curtail any huge upticks but we are not out of the woods.
 

CanuckTravlr

TUG Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2016
Messages
2,011
Reaction score
2,653
Points
324
Location
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Resorts Owned
HGVC Ocean 22
Well I think the tale is not completely told yet in Canada --we have recently begun more openings in various parts of the country and numbers are upticking. Hopefully, we will be able to curtail any huge upticks but we are not out of the woods.

I would tend to agree. We have done reasonably well up until now with getting Covid-19 under control, so at least we are starting from a better place generally than in the USA as we begin to open up. However, the seemingly clueless, selfish element is not totally absent here either, so we can't be complacent.

There are upticks in cases in many areas of the country as they have moved to open up the economy and ease restrictions. Things like the weekend jamming of Trinity Bellwoods Park here in Toronto, crowding at Wasaga Beach on Georgian Bay, mass camping in the mountains of Alberta, and a crowded drum circle on a beach in Vancouver. Now that Ottawa has just recently moved to phase 3, it was followed by more new cases than either Toronto or Peel Region, both of which are larger municipalities but still in phase 2! :shrug:

And then there is this clip from Saturday from the amusement area of Clifton Hill in Niagara Falls (Ontario), which shows mostly younger people, very few of them exercising proper physical distancing and almost none wearing masks. I don't know whether they think they are immune, invincible, or just don't care, but their behaviour reeks of self-absorption and is very exasperating. No wonder authorities are frustrated. :wall:

 

MULTIZ321

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
31,266
Reaction score
8,995
Points
1,048
Location
FT. LAUDERDALE, FL
Resorts Owned
BLUEWATER BY SPINNAKER HHI
ROYAL HOLIDAY CLUB RHC (POINTS)
Once Canada's oil relief valve, rail shipping grinds to near halt.



Richard
 
Last edited:

bizaro86

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Mar 5, 2008
Messages
3,664
Reaction score
2,489
Points
598
Location
Calgary, AB, Canada

MULTIZ321

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
31,266
Reaction score
8,995
Points
1,048
Location
FT. LAUDERDALE, FL
Resorts Owned
BLUEWATER BY SPINNAKER HHI
ROYAL HOLIDAY CLUB RHC (POINTS)
The link didn't work for me. I think rail shipments of oil have ended for now because given all the shut-in there is enough pipeline space to move the current production?
I updated the link - it should work now.


Richard
 

CanuckTravlr

TUG Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2016
Messages
2,011
Reaction score
2,653
Points
324
Location
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Resorts Owned
HGVC Ocean 22

Hi Richard. I agree with bizaro86. The oil industry in Canada has been significantly impacted for awhile, due partly to the current low price per barrel. This is further affected by the reduced demand, not only domestically but internationally, with so many people not travelling and/or working from home.

Rail is often a "secondary" method of oil transportation, when pipelines are already at capacity. As the oil sands production increased, they started working to expand the pipeline network and capacity. But with less demand, there is less need for rail shipments. In any case, rail transport of petroleum products has traditionally represented less than 10% of total rail shipments in Canada. Grain and agricultural products typically account for more than double the rail tonnage of oil. Nevertheless, it still has a significant impact on the railways and their profitability, plus those companies that own or lease oil cars or are involved in the transport of oil by rail.

The most recent statistics I could find from Statistics Canada cover the period from 2014 to 2018. The chart below shows the amounts by sector, transported by rail, in metric tonnes.


Edited: Thanks, Richard. The link works now.
 
Last edited:

MULTIZ321

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
31,266
Reaction score
8,995
Points
1,048
Location
FT. LAUDERDALE, FL
Resorts Owned
BLUEWATER BY SPINNAKER HHI
ROYAL HOLIDAY CLUB RHC (POINTS)
Hi Richard. I agree with bizaro86. The oil industry in Canada has been significantly impacted for awhile, due partly to the current low price per barrel. This is further affected by the reduced demand, not only domestically but internationally, with so many people not travelling and/or working from home.

Rail is often a "secondary" method of oil transportation, when pipelines are already at capacity. As the oil sands production increased, they started working to expand the pipeline network and capacity. But with less demand, there is less need for rail shipments. In any case, rail transport of petroleum products has traditionally represented less than 10% of total rail shipments in Canada. Grain and agricultural products typically account for more than double the rail tonnage of oil. Nevertheless, it still has a significant impact on the railways and their profitability, plus those companies that own or lease oil cars or are involved in the transport of oil by rail.

The most recent statistics I could find from Statistics Canada cover the period from 2014 to 2018. The chart below shows the amounts by sector, transported by rail, in metric tonnes.


Edited: Thanks, Richard. The link works now.
SUGAR - Is that Beet Sugar?
 

CanuckTravlr

TUG Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2016
Messages
2,011
Reaction score
2,653
Points
324
Location
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Resorts Owned
HGVC Ocean 22
SUGAR - Is that Beet Sugar?

Almost all of our sugar comes from raw sugar cane. Historically it was imported from the Caribbean and other southern climates, up the St. Lawrence River and Seaway, to large sugar refineries in Montreal and Toronto. And yes, some of that sugar cane comes from Cuba! Once refined, it could then be shipped by rail all over the country in bulk carriers. We only have a small sugar beet industry, mostly in Alberta. Sugar cane also comes into Vancouver now, where there is a refinery, from as far away as Australia.

https://sugar.ca/International-Trade/Canadian-Sugar-Industry/Canadian-sugar-today.aspx
 
Last edited:

MULTIZ321

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
31,266
Reaction score
8,995
Points
1,048
Location
FT. LAUDERDALE, FL
Resorts Owned
BLUEWATER BY SPINNAKER HHI
ROYAL HOLIDAY CLUB RHC (POINTS)
Almost all of our sugar comes from raw sugar cane. Historically it was imported from the Caribbean and other southern climates, up the St. Lawrence River and Seaway to large sugar refineries in Montreal and Toronto. And yes, some of that sugar cane comes from Cuba! Once refined, it could then be shipped by rail all over the country in bulk carriers. We only have a small sugar beet industry, mostly in Alberta. Sugar cane also comes into Vancouver now, where there is a refinery, from as far away as Australia.

https://sugar.ca/International-Trade/Canadian-Sugar-Industry/Canadian-sugar-today.aspx
Thanks for the update. Love learning about Canada on Tug.

Richard
 

DannyTS

TUG Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2018
Messages
5,753
Reaction score
3,076
Points
348
Top