This may be the strongest report yet that Canada’s travel rules are about to change. The Globe and Mail today reports that Ottawa will drop the COVID-19 vaccine requirement and end random testing on September 30, as well as make the controversial ArriveCAN app an optional feature. The Globe said the changes haven’t been finalized by Cabinet, but that rules are set to change ten days from now. The paper said it got its information from four unnamed sources. The paper also said the mask requirement will remain in place for passengers on trains and planes, at least for now. Read more
border rules
There are more signs today that the Justin Trudeau government is set to drop vaccine mandates and put an end to the unpopular ArriveCAN app, perhaps within the next two weeks. The mask mandate for flights within Canada also appears up for debate. Writing in the Toronto Sun today, columnist Brian Lilley reports that “The ArriveCan app may no longer be mandatory and other remaining travel requirements and restrictions for air travel in Canada could soon be removed. If all goes well, masking could even be made optional within the next few weeks.” Lilley said he’s had conversations with senior Read more
Critics of the Canadian government have long argued that Canada has been far too cautious when it comes to travel and the coronavirus. But here’s something to think about; Canada is enacting more lenient entry rules than the United States. The Canadian government on Thursday (March 17) announced that mandatory border tests for fully vaccinated residents and visitors will be dropped as of April 1. But the U.S. still requires anyone heading to the States by air (land borders and ferry crossings are exempt) to provide a negative test result. The U.S. accepts rapid antigen tests, but those Read more
