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.

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.

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