Despite numerous calls to end random testing of arriving passengers at Canadian airports and to ease crowded conditions at airports across the country, the Canadian government today said it’s extending current border measures until at least June 30.
In a statement on Twitter (you think they’d put out something more official), the Public Health Agency of Canada today said it will continue the current rules for another month.
That would appear to mean random tests for arriving passengers at Canadian airports will continue. PHAC said on Twitter that all travellers, regardless of vaccination status, must continue to submit their information in #ArriveCAN through the free app or web site.
“We continue to call on the federal government to urgently streamline or eliminate inbound legacy public health requirements at Canada’s airports, and in doing so, help to alleviate bottlenecks for international arriving passengers,” the Greater Toronto Airports Authority said in a statement. “We are also asking the federal government to move random testing upon arrival off-site from Canada’s airports quickly, or explore other effective and proven options, such as community wastewater testing.
“At the same time, we are committed to collaborating with the federal government and other aviation stakeholders on all concrete solutions. Specifically, we thank the federal government for their commitment to increase agency staffing here on the ground at Pearson. It is making a difference. However, more must be done to address passenger wait times ahead of this summer’s travel season. While the addition of more CATSA and CBSA officers will help, there are still too many passengers being held on board aircraft, thus duplicative public health questions and processes are another unnecessary delay for international arriving passengers, particularly at peak times.”
The Globe and Mail reports that the federal government “has boosted spending on airport security by $330-million amid a shortage of screening personnel that has caused delays and lineups.”
The industry is keeping up the pressure on Ottawa. The Canadian Travel & Tourism Roundtable, comprised of leaders across the travel and tourism industry, today (June 1) called on the federal government to promote a responsible reboot of the travel and tourism industry during Canada’s National Tourism Week.
“Canadians are ready to travel abroad, and international travellers are ready to travel to Canada. As demand for travel returns and other global economies re-open, Canada’s border policies and resources need to reflect the new reality,” the group said.
Roundtable members said they appreciate the government’s decision to hire new employees, but they said that will take too long.
“We need to remove unnecessary requirements and streamline duplicative processes at our airports immediately as travel volumes increase by the day,” said Susie Grynol, President of the Hotel Association of Canada.
“As the industry first hit and hardest hit by the pandemic, tourism is only beginning its recovery now – and we need all the support we can get to ensure that businesses do not go bankrupt,” Beth Potter, President and CEO of the Tourism Industry Association of Canada, (TIAC) said in a statement on Tuesday. “Livelihoods are at stake.”
“We know that these border measures are a hindrance to tourism’s recovery, and we continue to work closely with government to phase these out safely,” she said.
Critics have said the ArriveCAN app is confusing and deters people from travelling. They also have said random COVID-19 testing at airports is no longer needed, and that the Canadian Border Services Agency doesn’t need to slow passengers down by repeating questions already answered via the app.
The Greater Toronto Airports Authority and city of Mississauga leaders just yesterday pleaded with the Trudeau government to end the testing and speed up lines at crowded Canadian airports. Those please appear to have fallen on deaf ears, although the federal government has said it will hire more customs and airport security workers.
The Parliament of Canada on Monday voted down a Conservative opposition motion to revert to pre-pandemic rules for travel.
