As Canada eliminates COVID-19 border restrictions, modifications include ArriveCAN and mask requirements. The Canadian COVID-19 border regulations are coming to an end after more than two years, the federal government announced on Monday.
After Global News and other media outlets revealed last week that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had approved the revisions, the Liberal government formally confirmed them.
All travelers, regardless of citizenship, won’t have to submit public health data through ArriveCAN anymore, provide proof of immunization, submit to testing, be quarantined or isolated, or be monitored and reported if they arrive in Canada with signs or symptoms of COVID-19.
At a news conference in Ottawa, Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos said in French, “The results of border tests carried out at the Public Health Agency (of Canada) over the past months have indicated that importations of COVID cases and its variant no longer influence in a significant way the evolution of the pandemic in Canada.”
The domestic spread of the virus and the current vaccination rate “primarily explain the greater level of hospitalized cases in Canada.”
As the pandemic subsided in Canada throughout the year, the federal government relaxed COVID-19 border regulations. As protective measures were dropped by provinces and territories due to local conditions, the measures were modified.
As a result of huge delays brought on by an unexpected surge in travel demand, Ottawa was under pressure throughout the summer to further relax standards and abandon ArriveCAN.
All travelers are highly encouraged to wear masks during their journeys even if the obligation for masking is being eliminated.
According to Duclos, “The Government of Canada will retain the option to re-institute specific border controls, should they be required in the future to safeguard Canadians against the importation of new varieties of concern or other emerging public health hazards.”
In addition, Duclos asked Canadians to maintain their COVID-19 immunization records because both immunization and infection-related immunity deteriorate with time. According to federal figures, only 2% of the whole population has obtained a booster shot since August 1. British Columbia, Quebec, and Prince Edward Island are not included in the data since the information was not available.
He continued, “I invite everyone, every Canadian hearing us to perform as well with two dosages as we’ve done.”
If we are successful, we will greatly lessen the strain on hospitals and, more critically, on healthcare personnel in the late fall and early winter.
