N.B. not planning entry checkpoint for P.E.I. residents when bubble reopens

P.E.I. drivers heading into New Brunswick when the Atlantic bubble opens won't face a checkpoint screening process on the far side of Confederation Bridge, a spokesperson for New Brunswick's Justice and Public Safety Department said Wednesday.

"There is no plan to reinstate border controls between New Brunswick and P.E.I.,"spokespersonCoreenEnossaid in an email to CBC News.

The bridge linking Prince Edward Island to the mainland at Cape Jourimainwas closed to all but essential traffic during the early months of the COVID-19 crisis last year.

On the first weekend in July, in light of a low case count in the Atlantic region, residents of the four easternmost provinces of Canada were allowed to travel freely without isolating for two weeks in what was dubbed "the Atlantic bubble."

Yet Islanders entering New Brunswick and NewBrunswickersreturning home from the Island were required toanswerCOVID-19 screening questionsat a checkpoint just off the bridge's southern end, andlineups could be long.

The email from Enos continued: "Travellers have to register now. No decision has been made as to when that requirement will be eliminated."

No decision yet on N.B.-N.S. border

Enosdid not address what New Brunswick is planningwith regard to its borders with Nova Scotia.

Nova Scotia PremierIainRankin surprised many two weeks ago when he said his provincewould reopen its border to NewBrunswickersbefore the bubble reopened, which Atlantic premiers have said would occurby April 19 unlessthere is a spike in COVID-19 case counts.

Rankin's decision meant that as of March 20, NewBrunswickersdid not have to isolate when entering Nova Scotia.

Isolation requirements remain in place for people heading west into New Brunswick at the border near Amherst.

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