Fully vaccinated Canadians and permanent residents will soon be able to return to Canada without a mandatory quarantine.
The first stage in loosening the border restrictions that have been in place for 15 months will begin at 11:59 p.m. eastern time on July 5.
Those travelers must have two doses of a vaccine approved by Health Canada, provide a negative COVID-19 test from 72 hours before arrival, take a second test upon arrival, and have a quarantine plan in the event the arrival test comes back positive.
All others will still have to stay in hotel quarantine for up to three days pending a negative arrival test, and then quarantine at home for the remainder of the 14-day period.
Children who aren’t vaccinated will be able to return home with their parents, but must quarantine there for two weeks and take a second test eight days after arriving home.
Over the weekend the country hit an important target of having 75 per cent of its eligible population receive one dose and 20 per cent get two, providing the latter group with full protection against COVID-19.
Note from the Chamber:
This action applies ONLY to the Quarantine matter, nothing else has changed as far as the border being open and the ability to cross.
This limited action by Canada is welcome and will assist some North Country Canadians in accessing family and property in Canada. Though It is entirely separate from the bi-national extension of general border crossing restrictions to July 21, it certainly adds to calls for unilateral steps by the U.S. to begin expanding entry for Canadians, starting with access to family, property, boats, business interests and U.S. airports. We must not wait until July 21 to begin take reasonable unilateral steps.
