Travel between Canada and other countries, July 2021
Archived Content
Information identified as archived is provided for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. It is not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards and has not been altered or updated since it was archived. Please "contact us" to request a format other than those available.
Released: 2021-09-22
Highlights
Although historically low, the number of international arrivals to Canada during July increased from the same month last year.
Travellers from overseas countries made 63,700 trips to Canada in July, more than double compared with July 2020, but still down 94.2% from the pre-pandemic levels of July 2019.
In July 2021, there were over 80,000 more American residents travelling to Canada than in July 2020, yet this was down 94.6% from the same month in 2019.
Canadians made a total of 535,100 return trips home from abroad in July 2021, more than double compared with last year, but still down 89.7% from July 2019.
July sees some easing of restrictions
While the ban on non-essential travel across the Canada-US border was extended on June 21 for another 30 days, more cross-border traffic was expected with provincial re-openings and the federal easing of requirements for international air travellers. As of July 5, mandatory testing upon arrival with a hotel stopover as part of a 14-day quarantine—which had been in force since February—was no longer required of fully vaccinated air travellers currently eligible to enter Canada.
Overseas arrivals up, but far below pre-pandemic levels
The number of residents from overseas countries arriving in Canada rose to 63,700 in July, up from 28,400 in July 2020. The July 2021 figure represents 5.7% of the 1.1 million overseas arrivals in July 2019, before the pandemic.
The number of travellers originating from Europe nearly tripled, from 9,400 in 2020 to 26,300 this year, but was significantly down from the 513,600 arrivals in the same month in 2019. While arrivals from Asia were up year over year from 9,300 to 22,900 in July 2021, this was 93.3% below the pre-pandemic level of July 2019. Travel from other major markets also remained low throughout July.
More Americans crossing into Canada
In July, US residents took 194,800 trips to Canada, up from 113,400 in July 2020. The July 2021 figure represents 5.4% of the 3.6 million such trips made in July 2019.
In July 2021, 37,100 US residents arrived by plane, the highest number since the pandemic began in March 2020. While up by more than three times from July 2020, the July 2021 figure is well below the total of 735,100 Americans who flew into Canada in the same month in 2019.
American residents arriving to Canada by car increased to 155,200 in July, up from 100,400 in July 2020, but less than one-tenth of the 2.4 million arrivals in July 2019. Just over half of these car trips involved a same-day return (82,200).
US visits by Canadians up, but remain low
The number of Canadian residents returning from the United States in July was 393,800, roughly 160,000 more than in July 2020, but far below the 4.3 million Canadians who returned from the United States in the same month in 2019, before the pandemic.
Car arrivals by Canadian residents rose by more than 85,000 year over year to 293,000, of which 219,500 were same-day. However, this was down from the 3.5 million return trips by car that Canadian residents took in July 2019.
Due to the easing of restrictions for fully vaccinated residents, the number of Canadians flying back from the United States rose from 26,200 in July 2020 to 93,200 in 2021. However, this was down 85.9% from the same month in 2019.
More Canadians returning from overseas
In July 2021, 141,300 Canadian residents returned home from travel overseas, up from 53,300 such trips in July 2020, but 83.7% lower compared with the pre-pandemic level in July 2019.
Note to readers
Statistics Canada's Frontier Counts program uses administrative data from the Canada Border Services Agency on all international travellers who have been cleared for entry or re-entry into Canada.
Since April 2020, releases have been based on unadjusted data (not seasonally adjusted) to emphasize the change in actual volumes.
Seasonally adjusted data from January 2020 to June 2021 have been revised.
Overseas countries refer to countries other than the United States.
A Canadian resident traveller is a Canadian resident who travelled outside Canada for a period of less than 12 months.
A non-resident traveller is a resident of a country other than Canada who travelled to Canada for a period of less than 12 months.
An overnight traveller or a tourist is a traveller whose trip includes one or more nights' stay.
Products
The July 2021 issue of International Travel: Advance Information, Vol. 41, no. 7 (66-001-P), is now available.
Contact information
For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact us (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; STATCAN.infostats-infostats.STATCAN@canada.ca) or Media Relations (613-951-4636; STATCAN.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.STATCAN@canada.ca).
- Date modified: