Buckle up…If you’re planning to drive across Canada or fly into Canada, it’s going to be a bumpy ride amid tightened travel restrictions aimed at stifling the spread of COVID-19, in particular, new and potentially more infectious variants. Since discretionary travel is NOT recommended, these restrictions don’t make it easy.
Planning to drive across provinces/territories? Use the Government of Canada’s driving checklist to make sure you’re prepared for cross-border restrictions, isolation/quarantine requirements, and more.
If you’re planning to fly into Canada, use the Government of Canada’s flying to Canada checklist to be sure you’re complying with stringent new testing and quarantine requirements that went into effect on February 21, 2021 at 11:59 pm ET.
Here are just some important requirements to note:
- Travellers must use ArriveCAN to submit a quarantine plan in advance of arrival.
- Travellers must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 molecular test taken up to 72 hours before scheduled departure time.
- All existing mandatory pre-boarding and health requirements for air travellers remain in place, including temperature screening, health check questions, and wearing masks on board flights to and within Canada.
- Travellers won’t be allowed to board if they have symptoms of COVID-19 unless they have a medical certificate stating that their symptoms are not COVID-19 related or, have been refused boarding in the past 14 days due to a medical reason related to COVID-19, or are subject to a provincial or local public health order.
- Foreign nationals won’t be allowed to board a flight to Canada if they’re travelling from a country other than the United States and are not covered by any of the exemptions in the Orders in Council, or they’re travelling from a country other than the United States for an optional and discretionary purpose.
- All air travellers must wear a non-medical mask while travelling, except children under 2 years old, people who are unable to remove the mask without assistance, and people who provide a medical certificate certifying that they are unable to wear a face mask for a medical reason.
- Unless exempted, travellers must:
- reserve a government-authorized hotel for 3 nights prior to departure to Canada
- take a COVID-19 molecular test on arrival in Canada
- stay in the government-authorized hotel while awaiting the results of the COVID-19 molecular test taken on arrival (NOTE: The Government of Canada has relegated flights from outside Canada, ie, international flights, to land in Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal and Toronto ONLY. This means that you’ll need to remain a your designated city of arrival to complete your hotel stay before travelling on to your final destination.)
- pay for the cost of the hotel stay, as well as all associated costs for food, security, transportation, infection prevention and control measures
- complete the remainder of the mandatory 14-day quarantine after the mandatory hotel stopover. Failure to comply with mandatory quarantine or isolation requirements will result in fines, penalties or imprisonment.
Access all Government of Canada travel info here.
