Port authority buoyed by federal decision
Cruise ships will be allowed back in Canadian waters on Nov. 1, Transport Minister Omar Alghabra announced.
For the Port of Halifax, that means the valuable cruise business is expected to return in 2022.
Cruise companies will be required to comply with public health requirements in order to sail through Canadian waters.
Ottawa had originally extended the cruise ship ban until the end of February next year, but Alghabra reportedly stated in a speech in Victoria, B.C., on Thursday that the federal government felt enough progress has been made with COVID-19 vaccinations to make it possible to shorten the restriction period.
“This is excellent news for the entire Canadian cruise industry and tourism sector,” Allan Gray, port authority president and CEO, said in a news release.
“This announcement .
. . will allow us to move forward with planning and bookings for 2022 and beyond, and now we are looking forward to working with our partners to rebuild the cruise industry here in Halifax and across Atlantic Canada.”
Cruise ships are a significant contributor to the economy in Atlantic Canada, providing thousands of direct and indirect jobs in the tourism sector, according to the port authority.
In Halifax, the sector contributes an estimated $165 million annually, according to an economic study by the Port of Halifax. That amount includes passenger spending while in port, port fees and provisioning for the cruise vessels.