The Canada Border Services Agency says traffic at Canada’s borders increased 25 per cent in the week following the lifting of quarantine and other restrictions for fully-vaccinated Canadians on 05JUL.
Nonetheless, the agency says about half of those arriving at the Canadian border asking to be exempt from hotel, 14-day quarantines and Day 8 COVID testing were denied.
Denis Vinette, vice-president of the agency’s travellers branch, explained in an interview, “It’s a question, I think, of folks not understanding the rules.”
In the days leading up to last week’s implementation of Ottawa’s first phase of the reopening of Canada’s borders, a number of potential pitfalls in claiming the exemption were identified, and CBSA says it did its best to publicize the requirements.
Only Canadian citizens, permanent residents who are eligible to enter Canada AND have been fully-vaccinated for 14 days with a vaccine that’s been approved by Health Canada qualify for border restriction exemptions. Tourists do not qualify, nor do Canadians who have not gone for 2 whole weeks since their second dose if applicable, nor do Canadians who got shots not approved by Health Canada (which currently does not recognize the Chinese or Russian vaccines.)
“The big thing for folks to understand is what qualifies as a fully exempted traveller under Canada’s definition,” Vinette said in an interview Friday.
“It is about having had one of the four Health Canada vaccines. It’s about having had the full regimens, or both shots, and having had 14 days pass after your second shot.”
He added that among those arrivals denied the exemption (they were not necessarily turned back from the border if they were eligible to enter Canada, they just weren’t given an exemption to quarantine and testing rules) according to Vinette, most “ had only one dose of a two-dose vaccine, had not waited the requisite 14 days after their last shot or had received a vaccine not cleared for use in Canada.”
The CBSA as well as Canada’s airlines are trying to avoid confusion about entry exemptions causing extra delays at airports and other border crossings.
Vinette said that Air Canada and WestJet, as well as airport authorities, are helping promote the updated rules with airport signage, and provincial health agencies are also trying to get the message out about what qualifies under the new requirements.
Travellers must not only meet the qualifications, but are also required to use the ArriveCan app or government online portal to submit vaccine information and negative COVID test results prior to presenting themselves at the border.
Officials note the ArriveCan app was updated when the rules changed, so travellers must use the latest version of the app.
