Canadian invasion: Land border to U.S. reopens Monday to recreational travellers

Non-essential travel by land to the U.S. stopped in March 2020

Here come the Canadians!

For the first time since March 2020, the U.S will reopen its land border with Canada and Mexico on Monday for vaccinated travellers.

Unlike air travellers to America, people crossing into the U.S. will not be required to show a negative COVID-19 test. Whether you get asked to show proof of vaccination will be determined by border guards.

There is plenty of grumbling about Ottawa’s policy requiring Canadians to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours before they can return home.

Canada will only accept a molecular test, and that can cost several hundred dollars.

It is especially aggravating for those Canadians who want to spend no more than a day in the states, possibly to shop in places like Buffalo.

Canada’s top doctor acknowledged as much at a media briefing on Friday, suggesting test requirements at the Canadian border need to be re-examined, especially for shorter journeys.

The policy is being “actively looked at,” noted chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam.

“Just to reassure everybody, we are looking at that quite carefully,” Tam said.

The Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) has panned the policy.

Spokesperson Beth Potter said a PCR test wouldn’t tell border officials anything more than a much cheaper and quicker anti-antigen test.

The biggest issue for the TIAC is the cost of the test to travellers.

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