MONTREAL -- Governments at all levels are asking people not to travel over the holidays as COVID-19 infection numbers reach record numbers, but that isn't stopping many Quebecers at Montreal's Trudeau airport preparing to head to Florida.
Some say they just need time away from Quebec and the ongoing second wave of the pandemic. They travel every year, and this year will be no different.
"I agree with him, I understand, but we have a home [in Florida], and that's why we are leaving," said one departing traveller adding that she has followed health guidelines in Quebec and will continue to do so south of the border.
"We're used to COVID. It's been nine months that we have been living with this, and we're going to take the same measures over there that we take here," said another traveller.
The Canadian public health agency reported 38 flights in December (15 domestic, 23 international) that were either arriving or departing from Montreal with at least one person aboard who had tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
Premier Francois Legault urged Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to do more to enforce the 14-day isolation requirement for international travellers yesterday.
The government's website says that "failure to comply with instructions received upon arrival in Canada can result in a fine of up to $750,000 and up to 6 months in prison."
Quebec has said that police checkpoints will be in place near US border crossings to remind drivers of the rules.
