Border Security to begin on November 25th at the L'anse au Clair/Blanc-Sablon border as well as New Travel Restrictions

Government of Newfoundland and Labrador border security at L'anse au Clair/Blanc-Sablon, photo taken in the spring of 2020

​LOCAL NEWS – NOVEMBER 23, 2020: Border Security to Return Decides Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, and New Travel Restriction Directives Given
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Many questions were raised on social media today following a Facebook post by Lisa Powell-Dempster, MHA for Cartwright/L'Anse au Clair at the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, stating that "24 hour border patrol going back up at L’Anse au Clair/Blanc Sablon. Travel will be for essential reasons only. This measure is being put in place for the safety of our residents".
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Facebook post on Nov 23, 2020 by Lisa Powell-Dempster, MHA for Cartwright L'Anse au Clair at the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador

CFBS was speaking this afternoon with Chad Letto, the Mayor of L'anse au Clair and Chair Person for the Combined Councils of Labrador, to get more information on the border security that will be in place and what this will mean for traffic on both sides of border. Mr. Letto was speaking with Lisa Powell-Dempster this afternoon, and the following is the details that he shared with CFBS:

- Border security will begin on Wednesday November 25, 2020
- For now, this will be in place for a 2 week period
- Security will be in place on a 24 hour rotation
- Details are still being discussed regarding what will be approved traffic at the check point

Mr. Letto stated that it is his hope that it will be more of a monitoring situation, to record the destination of traffic from both sides of the border, to have ease of tracking should a case occur from someone who had crossed over into the Labrador communities. However, Mr. Letto did say that there are concerns within his government regarding the non-mandatory requirement of isolation within the province of Quebec, where as at this time it is a recommendation but not obligatory.

TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS AND DIRECTIVES FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF NEWFOUNDLAND/LABRADOR

In an email sent to Mr. Letto this afternoon, which he  shared with CFBS, the following is the updated ferry travel restrictions and directives now being put into effect:

- Residents of Quebec who wish to travel across the Strait of Belle Isle to Newfoundland can do so only if they have an exemption letter allowing them to travel;
- Labradorians who travel to Newfoundland on the ferry across the Strait of Belle Isle are not required to isolate for two weeks;
- Labradorians who cross the border into Quebec on their way to the ferry terminal are required to remain in their vehicles until they board the ferry;
​- Similarly, ferry passengers travelling across the Strait of Belle Isle from Newfoundland are required to remain in their vehicles from the time they depart the ferry until they cross the border into Labrador.

Abbygail Wellman
CFBS Journalist