ETA Canada Travel Pass News

The airline industry, which has been suffering from airport paralysis due to delays in check-in at major airports since last May, is also reducing flights. For this reason, there is concern that the aviation crisis will continue for the time being.

The airline industry is reducing flight schedules during the summer vacation season as it can’t keep up with the surge in tourist demand.

Air Canada, the largest airline in Korea, announced on the 29th of June that it plans to suspend an average of 150 flights a day during the summer vacation season from July to August.

Compared to the 1,400~1,500 schedules a day, this means that about 10% of the flights are canceled.

However, Air Canada said most flights are to/from Toronto and Montreal airports, with no impact on international flights.

There are three routes to temporarily suspend operations: Montreal-Pittsburgh, Kelowna-Baltimore, and Toronto-Port McMurray.

“Unfortunately, the industry situation around the world is not what it used to be,” Air Canada CEO Michael Russo said in a statement. He continued, “It was not an easy decision,” and “we had no choice but to take measures to reduce the number of passengers to a level that the system can accommodate.”

Recently, complaints have been pouring in on social media, such as cases where passengers’ baggage was delayed or disappeared, and that they slept on the airport floor due to flight cancellations or delays.

This report also published on the 29th and 30th the story of the Monton family, who had to return to Toronto from Japan, a stopover, after waiting for 66 hours at the airport and in the plane without being able to arrive in Korea.

Toronto Korean Travel Agency said, “Last week, there were customers who wanted to change their schedule or get a refund due to cancellations and delays. “he said.

According to analysis company data ‘Wajo’, more than half of flights to Korea’s four major airports were delayed from June 22 to 28. Of the more than 4,800 flights, more than 44% were delayed and 8.5% were canceled.

Airlines once prioritized cutting ground workers to cut costs, but are now struggling to fill, promising better treatment.

The industry agrees that the main cause of the ‘air crisis’ is the lack of manpower to normalize to the pre-pandemic level in a situation where most of the workers have been laid off due to the corona crisis. The situation has changed so abruptly that it is difficult to handle the influx of passengers, so it is an opportunity for airlines to make money, but they are not able to fly the plane.

On the other hand, Federal Transport Minister Omar Algabra gave only an obvious answer to the situation, saying, “Airports and airlines are trying to solve the global aviation crisis.”

As corona quarantine regulations are eased, the tourism industry is speeding up its revival.

Ontario cities have also implemented policies to attract tourists. It’s to encourage travelers to stay in their cities this summer.

The city of Mississauga is offering a $100 prepaid gift certificate and a $20 Square One shopping mall gift certificate to those who book two nights or more at participating hotels. The gift card can only be used in the area during your stay.

The city of Guelph will give you a $100 gift card when you book a minimum of two nights at one of the six hotels and guesthouses.

London will also give you a $100 Visa gift card if you stay at the participating hotel for more than two days.

In Ottawa, if you stay at the same hotel for 3 consecutive nights, you can deduct one night’s accommodation fee.

The City of Burlington is offering a $50 Visa gift card for overnight stays and a $100 discount for those staying two consecutive nights at participating hotels.

Several hotels in Kingston also offer prepaid gas cards and a $100 Visa gift card.

Meanwhile, this benefit, along with Ontario’s Staycation Tax Credit introduced by the Ontario government this year, is expected to help relieve the pockets of travelers.

This tax credit will deduct up to $1,000 in tax per person and $2,000 for families to accommodation guests participating in the program until December 31st.

Eligible international travelers are reminded to apply for their Canadian eTA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) online prior to entry into Canada.  Eligible applicants can submit a Canada eTA application on this website.

Canadian health authorities have been forced in recent weeks to limit the hours of emergency services at hospitals and clinics due to an influx of patients and a shortage of staff. The situation is linked to a resurgence of COVID-19 infections in adults and children as well as the performance of deprogrammed procedures at the height of the pandemic, when many medical personnel are on sick leave for burn- out or other ailments, say doctors.

Hospital corridors and clinic waiting rooms are crowded, care is delivered hours late, and the occupancy rate in children’s hospitals exceeds 100%. Another consequence of this situation: the debate on the systemic problems of the health system, funded by the government, has been revived. The emergency department of Perth hospital in south-eastern Ontario closed its doors on Saturday for six days due to an outbreak of COVID-19 that affected its staff. While it is common in small towns across Canada for hospitals to sometimes reduce their opening hours, it is rare for regional health hubs to do the same.

The Ontario Ministry of Health would not say how many hospitals in the country’s most populous province are affected by partial or temporary closures. He said he had taken steps to respond to the situation. “Sometimes hospitals have to make the difficult decision to close their emergency department temporarily so that operations can continue in the rest of the departments,” a ministry spokesperson said.

In Quebec, New Brunswick and Manitoba, hospitals have also temporarily closed services, or reduced their hours, for periods ranging from a fortnight to several months, according to press releases from hospitals.

Children are hard hit by the precarious situation of the health system, some of them who had never been exposed to viruses in the past having succumbed to illnesses during the spring due to the lifting of health restrictions in the face of the COVID-19, like wearing a mask. For some, the underfunding of the health system dates back to the 1990s, when the federal government cut spending in the sector in order to control the public debt. For others, the cause of the problem is federal funding itself, suggesting the need to move towards a private health system model.

A Korean family living in Monton, who had spent a whopping 66 hours at the airport and in the plane, complained again about the airline’s insincere response.

However, Air Canada is still consistent with “I don’t know” 10 days have passed since the incident.

For this reason, the Consulate General of Toronto (Consul General Kim Deuk-hwan) urged caution on behalf of the Korean American Association.

Kim Tak, the head of the Monton family, said, “My wife and daughter arrived in Korea on the 30th and are resting well.” However, due to the shock at the airport, the children still complain of headaches and sometimes have nosebleeds. For the painful experience of returning to Toronto after going there, I will receive reasonable compensation and answers from Air Canada.”

“I hope that Koreans will not be harmed like we are. For passengers heading to Korea, I recommend 48-hour PCR testing rather than 24-hour rapid antigen testing. This is to prepare for flight departure and arrival delays that have increased due to rushing travel demand. Airline schedules in Japan and China If you use diesel instead, you could end up in an absurd situation like us, so be careful.”

In the event of an unexpected accident at the airport, you can contact the Consulate General. Emergency call (416)994-4490

On the other hand, there is no contact or effort from the Korean Association of Toronto (Chairman Jeong-hee Kim), who should run to comfort and take care of these issues. It raises questions about the reason for the existence of the Korean Association.

The Hankook Ilbo sent an online letter on behalf of the Monton family requesting an explanation from Air Canada on the 5th.

Passport office managers will have to be at work by 7 a.m. Wednesday to give tickets to people who have been queuing for days outside Service Canada offices. This system by appointment will be accessible to people who have a trip in less than 48 hours.

It’s not possible to process 500 people in an office in a day, so it’s about prioritizing people who need to travel urgently,” said the Minister for Families, Children and Social Development, Karina Gould, in interview.

His ministry is facing an “unprecedented” number of requests with the lifting of health restrictions. People want to travel outside the country after going without during the two-year pandemic.

There are queues in front of passport offices in all the major cities of the country, but it is in Quebec that the situation is most critical.

Many departures on trips are planned as the end of classes and the Saint-Jean-Baptiste holiday approach. Others have applied for passports and renewals in anticipation of the construction holiday at the end of July.

People who receive a ticket with the new appointment system will be asked to leave the line to return at a given time the same day or the next day. Managers and Service Canada employees will also have to inform travelers whose trip is less urgent to avoid them waiting outside their offices for nothing.

“It’s to make sure people in line have the information they need,” she explained. There are people who only go to check the status of their passport. You don’t have to queue for that. »

They will be able to get appointments in the following days, the minister’s office said.

The government received a high volume of passport applications in the mail. Normally, the application should be processed within 20 days, but some people have been waiting for months. They have no news as their departure approaches.

People who must leave during the Saint-Jean-Baptiste weekend should go to one of the Service Canada offices specializing in passport applications tomorrow or Thursday to make their urgent request. They must bring their documents and bring their plane ticket as proof of travel.

Reinforcement from the Revenue Agency

The government is trying to convince some 200 temporary employees of the Canada Revenue Agency to help it deal with the passport crisis. The request has been made however it is unknown how many will respond to the request.

“We are looking for hundreds of them,” exclaimed the minister.

These Canada Revenue Agency employees find themselves out of work after tax time and the government is hoping they will agree to work for Service Canada.

They would be added to the 600 employees already hired by the government to process the numerous passport applications and the 600 others who must be recruited.

Minister Gould is also requesting assistance from the Departments of Immigration and Global Affairs.

Immigration Canada has finally relaxed the rules for filing criminal investigation records check reports.

It is expected that the immigration application process will become much easier as the typical obstacle that burdens applicants who wish to immigrate to Canada is removed.

The number of immigrant applicants is also expected to increase.

The Federal Immigration Department recently improved the system so that the ‘inquiry for foreign entry and residence permit’ should be submitted instead of ‘with an effective sentence’ for the rules for submitting a criminal inquiry form that must be enclosed when applying for permanent residence or citizenship in Canada. According to Korean law, this inquiry does not record any crimes past a certain period of time.

‘Effective sentence’ refers to a criminal record that has already been executed. In general, imprisonment for less than 3 years or imprisonment will expire after 5 years. In other words, after a certain period of time, the so-called red line (criminal record) is not disclosed in public documents.

The main reason criminal records are controversial is because of their drunk driving history.

In Canada, the government can deny immigration if a criminal record of drunk driving is revealed through an inquiry.

The Consulate General of Toronto stated, “From the 31st of last month, the Canadian system has been changed so that when applying for a Canadian visa, a ‘receipt for a foreigner’s residence permit’ must be submitted.” I have attached the document stating that it is impossible, but now the confusion and inconvenience are gone.”

Canadians are excited to be travelling again. Here are five questions that come up often when contacting a travel agent.

Do we have the right to travel?

Canadians have the right to leave Canada and return to the country, but foreigners do not have the right to enter Canada unless they meet certain very specific criteria, says Patrick Giguère, director of Voyages Constellation. Obviously, not all countries will accept Canadian travellers.

Where are we allowed to travel?

Things are constantly changing yesterday’s answer is not necessarily today’s answer. When booking and during the lead up to travel departure it is important to follow and note the latest travel changes and advice. Generally, Canadians can go to Mexico, Cuba, Jamaica, and other islands. Europe was accessible last summer and early fall, but with the second wave, this is no longer necessarily the case, unless you have a passport from the European community. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) website is the best place to check up to date information regarding travel restrictions and entry requirements in various countries.

Can we find travel insurance to cover ourselves in the event of COVID-19?

Such assurances have begun to appear. Patrick Giguère indicates that Blue Cross was one of the first companies to offer travel insurance that covers COVID-19. The director of Voyages Constellation notes, however, that just because a person has insurance does not necessarily mean that they will have room in a hospital for treatment. “These are things that can happen abroad as they can happen here. Hospitals can be overwhelmed and must choose between patient A and patient B.”

What happens with travel credits?

Like customers, travel agencies are waiting. Many airlines and wholesalers are still unwilling to offer refunds for cancelled flights and trips. Government aid to airlines could, however, be conditional on such refunds. “We are still waiting for news,” says Patrick Giguère. Previously travel credits often had an early deadline however as the pandemic evolved, airlines and wholesalers extended deadlines. For some, we are talking about two years and even unlimited duration.

The village of Saint-François-de-Madawaska, New Brunswick, is known as an important centre for raising and selling poultry in Atlantic Canada. The Westco Group houses millions of chickens here. Its CEO, Thomas Soucy, is alarmed by the resurgence of avian flu cases in the country.

Strict enhanced biosecurity measures have been underway since February at Westco Group facilities. For example, workers must change their clothes and boots when moving from one establishment to another. People coming and going on commercial farms are also extremely limited. Thomas Soucy hoped that biosecurity measures would be able to ease a little in the spring. This is not the case, he said. We are constantly reminded that the disease is present it is very, very worrying

One of the starkest reminders in New Brunswick are the hundreds and hundreds of gannet carcasses found on beaches across the province in recent weeks. Rise in bird flu cases Avian flu is spreading rapidly among wild animals in North America. In addition to wild birds, domesticated populations are also threatened. The disease is highly contagious between different species of birds, including poultry, on farms. If contact between wild birds and domestic birds is possible, then there could be infections. The virus has already killed large numbers of birds across Canada, and there have been outbreaks on farms, says Canadian Wildlife Health Network pathologist Megan Jones.

The H5N1 strain of avian flu has indeed been detected in poultry farms in western Canada. Chicken Farmers of Canada communications director Lisa Chop-Spencer says this is the first-time cases of avian flu have been reported in multiple Canadian provinces at the same time. Additionally, many of these infections are linked to wild birds, whereas normally spread was more common through domestic birds, from farm to farm. In total, nearly two million birds from commercial farms have so far been euthanized, says the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to stop the spread.

In case of outbreak Avian flu is often spread through the secretions and droppings of migrating wild birds. Despite the precautions taken by the Westco Group, tension reigns. And for good reason: the virus can decimate an entire commercial farm in a few days. We are still not immune, launches Thomas Soucy. It’s still very alarming, it can get in through the air. There may be excrement which has dried outside and then turned into dust and then which comes in with the wind, they will come in with the ventilation system. When a case of avian flu is detected on a commercial farm, a protocol is put in place very quickly by the CFIA to stop the spread. Birds in the affected area are euthanized and those in surrounding areas are quarantined.

According to Thomas Soucy, the Westco Group would need a year and a half to rebound if the virus affected the facilities in Saint-François-de-Madawaska. In New Brunswick, only small non-commercial chicken farms have been affected by avian flu so far. Outbreaks on commercial farms would have implications for the supply chain. In addition, the authorities are not overly concerned about the transmission of the virus among humans.

Canada is expected to soon announce the closure of the COVID Alert application, launched during the first months of the pandemic, according to “The Globe and Mail”. The free COVID Alert application, which allows you to be warned in the event of potential exposure to the coronavirus, or to report a positive result to a test for COVID-19, should be removed by Ottawa.

This is what two sources told the newspaper “The Globe and Mail”, while an increasingly mixed interest in the application has been observed over the months. Vaccines and rapid antigen tests would have gradually got the better of this tool.

To publicize the app, Ottawa had spent $17.5 million. As of February 1, 2022, nearly 6.9 million Canadians, out of a total of 38 million, have downloaded the COVID Alert app, across nine participating provinces and territories. Only 57,704 codes declaring a positive test for COVID-19 had been identified by this date.

The federal government has announced that it will extend the compulsory entry of immigration information through the ArriveCan app for Canadians entering Canada by an additional month until June 30. These regulations mean entering information such as the route of entry (air or land) into the app regardless of whether or not they are vaccinated.

The requirement for foreigners arriving in Canada to prove that they have been vaccinated will also remain in place.

The federal government has eased a lot of corona-related entry restrictions, such as abolishing the mandatory quarantine for vaccinated people, but some such as the LiveCan app have continued to apply.

Please visit the ArriveCan website or download the app for up to date information regarding travel, travel entry and requirements. It is recommended to update your information within the app prior to arrival at the airport to avoid travel delay.