Canada is preparing to welcome cruise ships back to the country for the 2022 season.
Ottawa says a one-year ban on cruise ships in Canadian waters will end Nov. 1, about four months earlier than expected.
“As Canadians have done their part to reduce the spread of COVID-19, our government continues to work hard to safely restart our economy and build back better,” Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said in a news release Thursday.
“We will welcome cruise ships — an important part of our tourism sector — back in Canadian waters for the 2022 season.”
Federal officials announced the one-year ban for cruise ships back in February as COVID-19 cases continued to climb.
Alghabra said cruise operators must be able to fully comply with public health requirements.
According to the federal government, the cruise ship industry represents more than $4 billion annual input into the Canadian economy and directly and indirectly generates about 30,000 jobs.
