New testing and quarantine rules for people flying or driving back to Canada
Rules include mandatory 3-day hotel quarantine and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test
New restrictions come into effect today for all international travellers who will now have to quarantine in a hotel room for three nights and foot the bill themselves.
If you’re flying into Canada, you need to call ahead and pre-book a hotel room, at an approved hotel, and then undergo a mandatory three-day quarantine period.
You will also be required to take a Covid-19 test upon arrival. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) Covid-19 test, which takes multiple days to process, will be given to international travellers.
Those staying in one of the quarantine hotels will be provided with three meals a day and free wifi, as well as escorted trips for ‘outdoor time.’
After the three-day quarantine period, those who test negative will be free to go home and quarantine for the remainder of the 14-day period. Those who test positive for Covid-19 will be sent to a designated government facility for the remainder of their quarantine period.
Travellers must present proof of having reserved and pre-paid for their accommodation through ArriveCAN.
Starting February 22, new testing and quarantine rules will be enforced for people flying or driving back to Canada. Learn more about the new border measures that will help stop the spread of #COVID19 and new variants: https://t.co/R2QA7nG0SJ pic.twitter.com/n3db7iWJ1F
— Canada (@Canada) February 22, 2021
As of February 21, 2021, at 11:59 pm ET, travellers, unless exempted, will also be required to:
- reserve a government-authorized hotel for 3 nights prior to departure to Canada
- take a COVID-19 molecular test on arrival in Canada
- stay in the government-authorized hotel while awaiting the results of the COVID-19 molecular test taken on arrival
- pay for the cost of the hotel stay, as well as all associated costs for:
- food
- security
- transportation
- infection prevention and control measures
It is now mandatory for travellers arriving at Canada’s land ports of entry, unless exempted, to present proof of a negative COVID-19 molecular test result taken in the United States within 72 hours before entry into Canada, or proof of a positive COVID-19 test conducted between 14 and 90 days before arrival.
The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) says, unless exempt, travellers will be required to take a test using a self-swab kit.
PHAC says those self-swab kits will be handed out at all 117 land points of entry with on-site testing provided at five “high-volume” land ports of entry as of February 22, 2021, and 11 additional ports of entry as of March 4, 2021.