The ''Quarantine Act, 2005'' is an
act of the
Parliament of Canada, which regulates the use of
quarantine
A quarantine is a restriction on the movement of people, animals and goods which is intended to prevent the spread of disease or pests. It is often used in connection to disease and illness, preventing the movement of those who may have been ...
to prevent the introduction and spread of
communicable diseases
An infection is the invasion of tissues by pathogens, their multiplication, and the reaction of host tissues to the infectious agent and the toxins they produce. An infectious disease, also known as a transmissible disease or communicable dis ...
.
Introduced in the aftermath of the
2002–04 SARS outbreak, the act grants the ability to designate quarantine facilities, require health screenings upon arrival or exit of the country, and issue emergency orders that impose conditions or prohibitions on the entry of individuals or imports in order to prevent the spread of communicable diseases. It also imposes fines on those who disobey quarantine officers or quarantine orders.
The act was invoked in response to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
.
History
COVID-19 pandemic
Amid the
COVID-19 pandemic in Canada
The COVID-19 pandemic in Canada is part of the ongoing worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (). It is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (). Most cases over the course of the pandemic have been in Ontario, Que ...
, the act was invoked for two purposes. It was used in order to mandate a quarantine of Canadian travellers who had been repatriated from the pandemic's origin,
Wuhan
Wuhan (, ; ; ) is the capital of Hubei Province in the People's Republic of China. It is the largest city in Hubei and the most populous city in Central China, with a population of over eleven million, the ninth-most populous Chinese city an ...
, China.
It was also used on March 25, when Minister of Health
Patty Hajdu
Patricia A. Hajdu (; born November 3, 1966) is a Canadian politician who has served as the minister of Indigenous services since October 26, 2021. A member of the Liberal Party, she also serves as the member of Parliament for Thunder Bay—Supe ...
invoked the act effective at midnight that night, to legally require all international travellers (excluding essential workers) returning to Canada to
self-isolate for 14 days, prohibiting those who are symptomatic from using
public transit
Public transport (also known as public transportation, public transit, mass transit, or simply transit) is a system of transport for passengers by group travel systems available for use by the general public unlike private transport, typic ...
to reach a place of self-isolation, and prohibiting self-isolation in settings where they may come in contact with people with pre-existing conditions and the elderly.
On April 10, 2020, the
RCMP
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP; french: Gendarmerie royale du Canada; french: GRC, label=none), commonly known in English as the Mounties (and colloquially in French as ) is the federal and national police service of Canada. As poli ...
disclosed it had been asked to enforce the act. Penalties for violations can include a fine of up to $750,000 and imprisonment for six months.
By May 20, police officers had made 2,198 "home visits to make sure Canadians
erecomplying with the self-isolation rule when they cross
dback into the country". One returning traveller at
Pearson International Airport
Lester B. Pearson International Airport , commonly known as Toronto Pearson International Airport, is an international airport located in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. It is the main airport serving Toronto, its Greater Toronto Area, metropolit ...
was depicted with a full PPE isolation suit.
Justin Trudeau
Justin Pierre James Trudeau ( , ; born December 25, 1971) is a Canadian politician who is the 23rd and current prime minister of Canada. He has served as the prime minister of Canada since 2015 and as the leader of the Liberal Party since 2 ...
"hint
dat new measures to track travellers who cross into Canada once border restrictions start to ease." The
CBSA alerts the
PHAC
The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC; french: Agence de la santé publique du Canada, ASPC) is an agency of the Government of Canada that is responsible for public health, emergency preparedness and response, and infectious and chronic dis ...
"if it suspects a returning traveller won't comply." The PHAC then notifies the national operations centre of the RCMP, who then coordinates with local police forces. Thus far, only one person in Richmond, British Columbia, was fined $1,000. The Trudeau government "expanded the
Order-in-Council
An Order-in-Council is a type of legislation in many countries, especially the Commonwealth realms. In the United Kingdom this legislation is formally made in the name of the monarch by and with the advice and consent of the Privy Council (''Kin ...
by saying that anyone returning home from abroad without a credible self-isolation plan would be forced to stay at a designated quarantine facility, such as a hotel." Trudeau is puzzled by "those questions on non-essential travel". CPHO Tam "called the mandatory 14-day quarantine for arrivals a 'cornerstone' of federal pandemic policy." Trudeau said, "Once we get to a point where non-essential travel picks up again in the coming months, I guess, we need to have strong measures in place and we're looking at those closely."
See also
* ''
Emergencies Act''
References
{{reflist
External links
Quarantine Act
2005 in Canadian law
38th Canadian Parliament
Canadian federal legislation
Legal history of Canada
Quarantine