The new border-crossing rules for Canadians and visitors: What you need to know

By Tom Yun, CTVNews.ca writer

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    Toronto, Ontario (CTV Network) — TORONTO — The federal government’s eased border restrictions for travellers from the U.S. are now in effect, allowing non-essential trips to Canada for the first time since March 2020.

As of Monday, American citizens and permanent residents of the U.S. may be allowed to enter Canada if:​

they reside in and are travelling from the U.S. they can provide proof that they’ve been fully vaccinated for at least 14 days with any of the four vaccines approved by Health Canada (Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson) they can provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test result taken prior to entry

All travellers over the age of five, regardless of vaccination status, will still have to provide proof of a COVID-19 test taken prior to entering Canada. However, fully vaccinated travellers are now exempt from taking an additional COVID-19 test upon entry as of Monday, unless they’ve been randomly selected to take a test.

Travellers will also be required to submit their travel information, proof of vaccination and COVID-19 test result through the ArriveCAN app or website beforehand.​

Canada is expected to open its borders to fully vaccinated travellers from the rest of the world starting Sept. 7.

CHANGES TO QUARANTINE REQUIREMENTS

Just like fully vaccinated Canadian travellers, U.S. travellers who are fully vaccinated will also be exempt from quarantining for 14 days

Given that there aren’t any vaccines approved for children under the age of 12 in either Canada or the U.S., unvaccinated children under 12 who are travelling with a fully vaccinated parent or guardian also no longer need to quarantine as of Monday.

Monday also marks the end of mandatory quarantine hotels. Previously, all travellers flying into Canada from an international destination had to quarantine at an airport hotel at their own expense for up to three days while they await a COVID-19 test result.

Before Monday, international flights were only permitted to land in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Calgary, but under the new rules, international flights can now land in Halifax, Quebec City, Ottawa, Winnipeg and Edmonton.

NO RECIPROCITY YET While Canada is opening its borders for U.S. travellers, the U.S. has yet to reciprocate and open the land border for Canadian travellers.

The Biden administration extended the land border closure until at least Aug. 21, citing concerns over the spread of the Delta variant.

However, Canadians have never been restricted from flying into the U.S. during the pandemic.

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ctvnews.caproducers@bellmedia.ca