Government of Canada evacuating Canadians on board Grand Princess cruise ship

March 8, 2020  - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada

The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Health, and the Honourable Harjit Sajjan, Minister of National Defence, today announced that the Government of Canada has secured a plane to repatriate Canadians on board the Grand Princess off the west coast of the United States, following an outbreak of COVID-19 on the cruise ship.

This decision was made following a request for assistance from the Government of the United States to repatriate Canadians. Given our shared border, Canada recognizes the importance of working together with the United States to limit the spread of COVID-19 within North America and beyond.   

The extent and frequency of interaction amongst cruise passengers and the close quarters found on most cruise ships presents a unique environment where COVID-19 can easily spread. To ensure the health and safety of Canadians, passengers from the Grand Princess will be quarantined upon their return to Canada. 

The plane will bring passengers from San Francisco to Canadian Forces Base Trenton, after which they will be assessed and undergo a 14-day quarantine.

Passengers will be screened for symptoms before boarding the plane. If they exhibit symptoms, they will not be permitted to board and will instead be further assessed to determine next steps.

We will continue to provide more information on travel plans as they become available. In the meantime, we ask all Canadians on board the Grand Princess to continue to follow our recommendations for protecting their health and the health of others.

All Canadians aboard the Grand Princess are encouraged to sign up with the Registration of Canadians Abroad service to receive the latest updates from the Government of Canada on COVID-19.

Canadians in San Francisco in need of emergency consular assistance can contact the Consulate General of Canada in San Francisco at +1 844 880 6519 or email ccs.scc@international.gc.ca. Canadians can also contact Global Affairs Canada’s 24/7 Emergency Watch and Response Centre in Ottawa at +1 613 996 8885 or email sos@international.gc.ca.