Canada lifts Covid testing requirements for tourists

Staff report

The Canadian government announced March 17 that fully vaccinated travelers will no longer need Covid-19 test results to enter Canada by air, land or water, effective April 1.

“After a challenging two years, we all want the Canadian economy, including the tourism sector, to rebound and grow,” said Randy Boissonnault, PC MP, the minister of tourism and associate minister of finance in Canada in a press release. “We in government have been listening to the concerns of tourism businesses across the country. We are confident that, thanks to all that Canadians have done to protect one another, we can now take the next step forward and remove testing requirements for fully vaccinated travelers entering Canada. The economy, workers and tourism business owners will benefit from this next step in opening Canada up once again to the world.”

The steps were welcome to Vermont Gov. Phil Scott.

“I have been in communication with the Canadian government throughout the pandemic, and the testing policy has been at the top of the list recently,” Scott said in a press release. “We know that our border communities are culturally and economically inseparable, and we’re thrilled these communities will be able to more easily go about their daily lives as they did prior to the pandemic.”

Those crossing the Canadian border before April 1 still need to show proof of negative Covid tests and those arriving to Canada from any country, who qualify as fully vaccinated, may still need to take a Covid-19 molecular test on arrival if selected for mandatory random testing. But travelers who are selected for mandatory random testing will not be required to quarantine while awaiting their test result.

For partially or unvaccinated travelers who are currently allowed to travel to Canada, pre-entry testing requirements are not changing. Unless otherwise exempt, all travelers 5 years of age or older who do not qualify as fully vaccinated must continue to provide proof of an accepted type of pre-entry COVID-19 test result:

• A valid, negative antigen test, administered or observed by an accredited lab or testing provider, taken outside of Canada no more than one day before their initially scheduled flight departure time or their arrival at the land border or marine port of entry; or
• A valid negative molecular test taken no more than 72 hours before their initially scheduled flight departure time or their arrival at the land border or marine port of entry; or
• A previous positive molecular test taken at least 10 calendar days and no more than 180 calendar days before their initially scheduled flight departure time or their arrival at the land border or marine port of entry. It is important to note that positive antigen test results will not be accepted.

All travelers continue to be required to submit their mandatory information in ArriveCAN (free mobile app or website) before their arrival in Canada. Travelers who arrive without completing their ArriveCAN submission may have to test on arrival and quarantine for 14 days, regardless of their vaccination status. Travelers taking a cruise or a plane must submit their information in ArriveCAN within 72 hours before boarding.