us canada border

Canada-U.S. border announcement expected next week could make travel easier

Those looking to cross the U.S.-Canada border can expect an announcement regarding the rules for entry next week.

Travel outside of Canada hasn't been recommended since Dec. 15, when an Omicron-driven rise in COVID cases led the government to implement a travel advisory warning against non-essential travel.

Those who did choose to travel faced the hassle of getting an expensive molecular COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of travel unless they'd had a positive COVID-19 test result from the last 14 to 180 days, and had no remaining symptoms.

But those rules could possibly be changing, Prime Minister Trudeau hinted during a press conference on Friday.

Trudeau said he met with Dr. Theresa Tam, Chief Public Health Officer, and Heath Minister Jean-Yves Duclos to discuss travel measures that fall under federal jurisdiction.

"We had extensive meetings today, on the next steps that we look forward to taking," Trudeau said. "We'll be making announcements regarding our border posture next week."

Asked if the announcement might be related to the anti-vaccination mandate protests now crippling Ottawa and U.S. Canada border crossings, Trudeau said that the decisions will be based on expert advice.

"I think it's extremely important to emphasize that all the decisions we take will be based in science and indeed, will be focused on Canadians getting their lives back to normal," he said.

Trudeau added that the government is not considering changing rules requiring people to get vaccinated to board a plane or a train, or rules requiring vaccination for workers in the federal public service.

"We're continuing to look at the posture to ensure that people are able to get back to the things they love as this Omicron wave begins to recede."

Lead photo by

Wikimedia Commons


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