Specific Canadian provincial and territorial measures are reported by the North American Observatory on Health Systems and Policies on their dedicated COVID-19 page.

Transition Measures: Reimposition of Gathering Limits

“In the Fall of 2020, as daily case numbers started to rise again, many regions re-imposed limits on gatherings. For example, Ontario reduced gathering limits to 10 people at an indoor event and 25 at an outdoor event in September, from the previous respective 50 and 100 person limits (Ontario, 2020l). Similarly, British Columbia suspended all events and social gatherings  in November (British Columbia, 2020h).”

Source: COVID-19 Health System Response Monitor. A project of the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, the European Commission, and the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe. Last accessed April 11, 2021.

Transition Measures: Gathering Limits and Physical Distancing

“As regions within Canada experience a decline in the number of COVID-19 cases, some provinces and territories are beginning to ease limits on gatherings. On May 15, 2020, Alberta announced that outside gatherings are increasing to no more than 50 people, while indoor gatherings remain restricted to no more than 15 people (Alberta, 2020d, p. 63). Since May 29, 2020, Nova Scotia has permitted gatherings of 10 or fewer people, while emphasizing a physical distance of at least 2 metres whenever possible (Quon, 2020).”

Source: COVID-19 Health System Response Monitor. A project of the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, the European Commission, and the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe. Last accessed June 16, 2020.

Spread of COVID-19 in Correctional Institutions

“As of May 19, there were 356 positive results for COVID-19 in federal correctional institutions, including 227 cases which had recovered (Canada, 2020p). Of these cases, 228 were from institutions in Quebec, 8 from institutions in Ontario, and 120 from institutions in British Columbia.”

Source: COVID-19 Health System Response Monitor. A project of the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, the European Commission, and the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe. Last accessed May 28, 2020.

Transition Measures: Travel Restrictions

“On May 14, the Government of Canada announced new measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in remote and vulnerable Arctic communities (Canada, 2020ae). These measures include; prohibiting pleasure craft from operating within Canada’s Arctic coastal waters as well as in the coastal areas of northern Quebec and Labrador, beginning June 1, 2020 and continuing until at least October 31, 2020. On May 15, the Canada Border Service Agency announced temporary suspension of service at the Four Falls, New Brunswick port of entry along the Canada-United States land border (Canada Border Services Agency, 2020c).

“As of May 8, there are currently no internal travel restrictions in most provinces in Canada; however, Quebec and BC have enforced some internal travel restrictions in an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19 (Gyulai, 2020; Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, 2020). In Quebec, police were set up at road checkpoints to ensure only essential travel is occurring between cities (Gyulai, 2020). On April 29,  the Government of Quebec announced that these regional travel restrictions would be lifted gradually starting May 4 (Quebec, 2020b). In BC, the BC-Northwest Territories Border and the BC Yukon Border both remain closed to non-essential travel (Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, 2020).”

Source: COVID-19 Health System Response Monitor. A project of the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, the European Commission, and the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe. Last accessed May 28, 2020.

Transition Measures: Physical Distancing, Facilities and Business Closing:

“As of April 16, 2020, although Canada was seeing a slow and steady rise in hospitalizations and intensive care admissions, Prime Minister Trudeau cautioned that physical distancing restrictions will not be relaxed until measures are in place for “massive” testing and contact tracing (O’Kane et al., 2020). As of May 11, 2020, with the pandemic continuing to slow across Canada, Dr. Theresa Tam urged that reopening schools and business continues to rely heavily on being able to test and trace contacts of positive infections. Physical distancing and hand washing will remain critical with reopening (Rabson, n.d.).”

Source: COVID-19 Health System Response Monitor. A project of the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, the European Commission, and the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe. Last accessed May 16, 2020.

Physical Distancing, Facilities and Business Closing:

“Physical distancing measures are largely determined at a provincial, territorial, and municipal (PTM) level in response to timing and intensity of the virus activity (PHAC, 2020d).

“At the federal level, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) developed a guide on community-based measures for provincial and territorial (PT) public health authorities for mitigating the spread of COVID-19 (PHAC, 2020d). It is not clear when this guide was first published, but it was most recently updated on March 25, 2020 (PHAC, 2020d). It provides the following recommendations for social distancing: isolation for any symptomatic person suspected of having, or known to have, COVID-19; voluntary home quarantine (self-isolation) for an asymptomatic person with high-risk of exposure to the virus; protective self-separation for any person at high-risk for severe illness from COVID-19; voluntary avoidance of crowded places for any person who is asymptomatic but with medium-risk of exposure (PHAC, 2020d).”

Source: COVID-19 Health System Response Monitor. A project of the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, the European Commission, and the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe. Last accessed Nov. 27, 2020.

“Decisions around school closures, workplace and community-setting closures, and mass-gathering events are recommended to be based on risk assessments conducted at the PT [Provincial and Territorial] level (PHAC, 2020d). Though PHAC [Public Health Agency of Canada] recommends in-person gatherings of more than 50 attendees be cancelled or postponed, and that individuals maintain at least two metres distance between them, where possible (PHAC, 2020d, 2020f). Vulnerable populations – those aged 65 and over, with compromised immune systems, and with underlying medical conditions – should re-consider attending any gatherings (PHAC, 2020m).

“On March 30, 2020, Canada stated that all passengers flying into Canada would be subject to a health check prior to boarding (PHAC, 2020r).  Individuals who are refused will not be able to travel for a period of 14 days, or until a medical certificate is presented confirming that the traveller’s symptoms are not related to COVID-19 (PHAC, 2020r).

“Specific provincial and territorial measures are reported by the North American Observatory on Health Systems and Policies on their dedicated COVID-19 page.

Source: COVID-19 Health System Response Monitor. A project of the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, the European Commission, and the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe. Last accessed Nov. 27, 2020.

Testing

“On March 18, 2020 an Interim Order was signed by Health Canada to expedite access to COVID-19 diagnostic laboratory test kits and other medical devices (Health Canada, 2020a). The order is designed to provide more flexible approval for the importation and sale of diagnostic tests, and so far, it has allowed easier access to two new diagnostic tests (Health Canada, 2020a).

“Each province and territory is responsible for setting its own testing criteria and ensuring adequate supply of testing kits. After facing much criticism of under-testing (and lower numbers of tests conducted in Ontario than in other provinces), on April 10, 2020, the Government of Ontario announced an expansion of its COVID-19 testing capacity. The aim is to test priority groups including hospital inpatients, residents of long-term care homes, health care workers, individuals in remote communities, congregate centres such as homeless shelters and prisons, and vulnerable medical populations (Office of the Premier, 2020). Further, the province is expecting to double the number of tests processed each day to 14,000 by April 29, 2020 (Office of the Premier, 2020a).”

Source: COVID-19 Health System Response Monitor. A project of the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, the European Commission, and the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe. Last accessed Nov. 27, 2020.

Health Systems Facts is a project of the Real Reporting Foundation. We provide reliable statistics and other data from authoritative sources regarding health systems in the US and several other nations.

Page last updated April 11, 2021 by Doug McVay, Editor.