International flights to return to regional airports after 8-month ban

The federal government says more regional airports will be able to accept international flights after enduring an eight-month ban.

The federal government says more regional airports will be able to accept international flights after enduring an eight-month ban.

At a news conference this morning, Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said airports at eight mid-sized cities can reopen their runways to planes from across the border as of Nov. 30.

The airports range from those in Victoria to St. John's, N.L., and also include Saskatoon, Kelowna, B.C., and Hamilton, Ont.

Alghabra says higher vaccination levels have allowed Ottawa to open the airports to flights from abroad, and that he will give consideration to more airports as conditions dictate.

The sector had been pushing the government to allow more airports to accept international flights, with an eye to trips to and from U.S. and Caribbean destinations as winter approaches.

Ten airports currently enjoy that status, expanded from four when Ottawa first introduced the restriction in February as part of a move to discourage non-essential trips, slow the spread of COVID-19 variants and concentrate the location of quarantine hotels.