The announcements of loosened COVID-19 restrictions continue. Following similar statements from Hawai‘i and Puerto Rico, the Canadian government announced last week that effective April 1, 2022, fully vaccinated travelers will no longer need to provide a pre-entry COVID-19 test result to enter Canada by air, land or water. (Fully vaccinated travelers seeking to arrive in Canada before April 1 must still have a valid pre-entry test.)
The announcement added that travelers arriving to Canada from any country, who qualify as fully vaccinated, might still need to take a COVID-19 molecular test on arrival if selected for mandatory random testing. Travelers selected for this are not required to quarantine while awaiting their test result.
"Following the recent adjustments to Canada's border measures, we are thrilled to say that Canada is open for business again," Chantal Sturk-Nadeau, executive director, business events, Destination Canada, told Meetings Today. "Over the last couple years, Canada has become home to a robust portfolio of new state-of-the-art venues, including the world's first double LEED Platinum certified convention centre, alongside a collection of new and unique incentive experiences designed to promote re-connection and purpose.
“Canada really is in a league of its own when it comes to hosting memorable and productive events or meetings, and we look forward to showing the industry not only what they've been missing, but how Canada has raised the bar,” she continued.
Canada’s Minister of Health Jean-Yves Duclos said in a press release that these measures were made possible by a number of factors that include the country’s high vaccination rate, the increasing availability and use of rapid tests to detect infection, decreasing hospitalizations and growing domestic availability of treatments for COVID-19.
“As vaccination levels and healthcare system capacity improve, we will continue to consider further easing of measures at the borders-and when to adjust those measures-to keep the people in Canada safe,” he said.
For travelers who are partially vaccinated or unvaccinated, pre-entry testing requirements will remain in place. Unless otherwise exempt, all travelers five years of age or older who do not qualify as fully vaccinated must continue to provide proof of an accepted type of pre-entry COVID-19 test result:
- A valid, negative antigen test, administered or observed by an accredited lab or testing provider, taken outside of Canada no more than one day before their initially scheduled flight departure time or their arrival at the land border or marine port of entry.
- A valid, negative molecular test take no more than 72 hours before their initially scheduled flight departure time or their arrival at the land border or marine port of entry.
- A previous positive molecular test taken at least 10 calendar days and no more than 180 calendar days before their initially scheduled flight departure time or their arrival time at the land border or marine port of entry. (Positive antigen test results will not be accepted.)
All travelers continue to be required to submit their mandatory information in ArriveCAN (a free mobile app/website) before their arrival in Canada. Travelers who arrive without completing their ArriveCAN submission may have to test on arrival and quarantine for 14 days, regardless of their vaccination status. Travelers taking a cruise or plane must submit their information in ArriveCAN within 72 hours before boarding.
This news comes ahead of Destination International's Annual Convention 2022, which will be held in person in Toronto, Canada, July 19-21 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.
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