The cruise-ship season in Canada is all but sunk as Ottawa extends its ban on large ships in Canadian waters until the end of October in an attempt to contain COVID-19.

Transport Minister Marc Garneau said Thursday passenger ships with overnight accommodations for more than 100 people sa国际传媒� including both passengers and crew sa国际传媒� cansa国际传媒檛 operate in Canadian waters until at least Oct. 31.

The move extends and expands an order issued in mid-March that barred ships with more than 500 passengers from Canadian waters until July.

Ships with more than 12 passengers cansa国际传媒檛 go to the Arctic until at least Oct. 31, for fear that one might carry COVID-19 to a remote northern community.

Other than that, after July 1, provincial and regional health officials will decide when and where smaller vessels can operate.

sa国际传媒淜eeping Canadians and transportation workers safe continues to be my top priority during the COVID-19 pandemic,sa国际传媒� Garneau said.

Garneau said he also understands this will create a significant economic hardship for Canadasa国际传媒檚 tourism industry. He indicated the federal tourism department is working on a plan to help.

Last year 140 cruise ships brought more than two million visitors to Canadian ports. A 2016 study found the cruise industry was large and growing, contributing more than $3 billion to Canadasa国际传媒檚 economy, including nearly $1.4 billion in direct spending by cruise lines and their passengers. More than 23,000 Canadians were directly or indirectly employed because of cruise ships.

British Columbia, Quebec and the Atlantic provinces benefit the most.

sa国际传媒淭he human impact is dramatic, theresa国际传媒檚 no question about it,sa国际传媒� said Charlottetown Harbour Authority CEO Mike Cochrane. sa国际传媒淭o see it all come to a halt, itsa国际传媒檚 a very sad day for us.sa国际传媒�

The cruise industrysa国际传媒檚 direct and indirect economic impact to Prince Edward Island topped $52 million last year, he said. Until the pandemic hit, projections for the season sa国际传媒� late April to late October in PEI sa国际传媒� hovered around $60 million.

sa国际传媒淵ou look at mom-and-pop shops, restaurants, tour bus operators, taxis, Green Gables sa国际传媒� it reaches everywhere,sa国际传媒� Cochrane said.

He and other officials linked to the cruise industry said they understood that the health and safety of local residents comes first. sa国际传媒淭heresa国际传媒檚 no road map for this pandemic, so all you can really do is roll up your sleeves and put your heart into rebuilding it,sa国际传媒� Cochrane said.

Home ports sa国际传媒� where vessels are based sa国际传媒� such as Vancouver or Quebec City stir up even more economic activity than ports of call as cruise lines stock up on fuel, food, alcohol, bedding and other supplies.

Industrial sectors feel the ripple effects of the virus too. A massive federally owned dry dock just west of Victoria typically supplements its work for the Royal Canadian Navy with cruise ship contracts.

sa国际传媒淲hen one of those cruise ships is getting refit, there can be up to 800 people working intensely for several weeks,sa国际传媒� said Barry Penner, a spokesman for Cruise Lines International Association sa国际传媒� North West and Canada.

The refurbishments can include everything from new carpets to fresh bathroom fixtures, cabinetry, sonar, telecommunications and wastewater treatment systems, providing business to regional companies.

Cruise ships were one of the first- and worst-hit sectors from COVID-19 with hundreds of passengers falling ill on ships as they sailed in various parts of the world. Transport Canada monitored hundreds of ships with Canadians on board as they battled outbreaks, or werensa国际传媒檛 allowed to dock in planned ports as countries closed to foreign tourists to keep COVID-19 out.

Several hundred Canadians were flown back to Canada and quarantined in Trenton, Ont., and Cornwall, Ont. after disembarking ships with outbreaks on them that docked in Japan and California. At least a dozen passengers from the Grand Princess cruise ship were diagnosed with COVID-19 after being quarantined in Trenton. One Canadian passenger who had been on board the Diamond Princess died in Japan in March after being hospitalized with COVID-19.

The Canadian Press

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