Canada's cruise ship ban will end in November, a few months ahead of schedule.
Cruise ships haven't been allowed in Canadian waters or ports for more than a year because of COVID-19 and the ban was set to remain in place until February 2022.
Transport Minister Omar Alghabra now says that with the pandemic improving and a rising vaccination rate, Canada will welcome ships back starting Nov. 1.
They will need to follow public health protocols, but those details are not yet available.
Cruise ships were early hot spots for COVID-19 last year, with hundreds of passengers falling ill and ships being stranded at sea as multiple countries began refusing them in ports.
Cruises generally play a major part in Canada's tourism industry, contributing $4 billion a year to the economy and employing 30,000 people directly and indirectly.