Heading to the Magdalen Islands by car? You can stop in New Brunswick, but only for gas

It's an old joke: some people have derisivelydubbedNew Brunswick the "drive-through province" because itseparates the rest of Canada from popular tourist destinations like Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and Quebec's Magdalen Islands.

Now the New Brunswickgovernment is taking that nickname to heart, allowing Quebec tourists headed for the Magdalen Islands to drive through the province, as long as the only stop they make along the way is for gas.

Travellers aren't allowed tostay overnight in the provinceorstop for a bite to eat in a restaurant, according to a statement released by Quebec's Tourism Ministry on Wednesday.

Thatcomes asshock to many people planning trips, as justfive days ago, the Quebec government announced itwould be possible for travellers to stay for one nightin New Brunswick,starting on June 26.

Sandra O'Connor, a ministry spokesperson, said the situation is continuing to evolve, and people should expect shifts in policy asthe three provinces involved in any road trip to the Magdalen Islandsadjust to the pandemic.

"We follow the situation on the ground," she told CBC News in an email. "We adjust and we adapt."

Catching the ferry could mean driving all night

Similar rules are in place in P.E.I. Travellers will only be allowed on the island the same day they have a ferry reservation and must provide proof of that atthe Confederation Bridge.

That means Montreal-area residents planning to catch the ferry from P.E.I. to the Magdalen Islands, a small archipelago in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, will have to drive all night to reach the ferry's port by midday. That's a 1,220-kilometre drive.

The other option is to stay overnight in Dgelis, on the Quebec side of the border with New Brunswick, and wake up early for aseven-hour drive.

Making people drive all night is a safety issue, MNA says

One provincial politician isn't on board with the newagreement. MNA Jol Arseneau says barring Quebecers from stopping for more than gas is dangerous.

"What we want is that traveling through New Brunswick be as safe as possible," said Arseneau, a Parti Qubecois member who represents the Magdalen Islands.

"Not being able to stay overnight in New Brunswick means driving at night. It really is not ideal.

However, he said, Quebec must respect the fact that New Brunswick is still locked down in an effort to keep COVID-19 at bay.

Ariane Arsenault owns a soap shop in Havre-Aubert, on the Magdalen Islands.

She has been looking forward to heading west this summer to visit her kids' father in New Brunswick and then her mother in the Quebec City area.

"At the moment, we don't think our summer trip to New Brunswick will happen because, literally, if we go, we will have to self-quarantine for two weeks and two weeks is the time of our vacation," she said.

But not being able to stop on the way through New Brunswick and Prince Edward Islandisn't the only hurdle Quebec travellers will face once the border opens to them.

Tourists must present proof of lodging reservations on the Magdalen Islands as well as reservations on the ferry. As for residents of the Magdalen Islands, they must have proof of residence as well as proof of ferry reservations.