4 Canadian Provinces Are Planning To Make An "Atlantic Bubble" For Safe Travelling

Some Canadian provinces have moved further ahead in their reopening than others. On the east coast, premiers have begun to discuss an Atlantic bubble. This expanded social circle would allow people from any of those provinces to travel freely to others.

Prince Edward Island Premier Dennis King said that the premiers had determined residents of the Atlantic provinces should be free to travel throughout the region by July, according to CBC News.

He added that even if something happens that forces a province to hold off on allowing for travel in the bubble, that other provinces could start on their own.

"We don't really have a hard and fast date," he said.

A commentary from the Atlantic Provinces Economic Council makes the argument that allowing for interprovincial travel would have positive impacts on both local economies and the mental health of Atlantic residents.

APEC president and CEO David Chaundy wrote that the current travel restrictions have had a negative impact on the Atlantic regional economy, causing it to shrink by 20 percent.

"We've also experienced the personal and social cost," Chaundy writes, "We've felt the consequences of isolation, being stuck inside, and lack of human contact on our physical, mental and emotional health."

The commentary also notes that allowing for interprovincial travel would help to revitalize the tourism business in Nova Scotia, which sees about 48 percent of its out-of-province visitors coming from other Atlantic areas.

Chaundy writes that the number of COVID-19 cases across the region makes travel between provinces a "low risk option."

In the same vein as Premier King's statement on gradual opening between provinces, the APEC commentary notes that a step-by-step approach could be adopted with "temporary travel parameters or guidelines."

Newfoundland has already instituted a "double bubble" rule where members of two households are allowed to interact with one another.