Canada will soon require air travelers to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test before entering the country, federal ministers announced Wednesday! 

 

Government pleads with Canadians not to travel for non-essential reasons.

 

All entering the country will still need to quarantine for 14 days, the government emphasized Wednesday

It start january 7..

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/coronavirus-covid19/travel-restrictions-exemptions.html

Well, if you watched the CBC reporting on this issue..... you would see that the minister of transport has indicated that persons without the ability (due to location etc) to get a PCR would be allowed on the plane but would have to go to an "approved quarantine facility" on arrival in Canada.

So.  

If I, a Canadian citizen, visiting someplace where I cannot get a PCR test can convince, a) the Canadian gov't and b) the airline, that it's impossible for me to get the test, then I am allowed on the plane. But with the proviso that I have to go into quarantine in a "Federally approved facility" on arrival in Canada.

Nice.

 

BUT. If I am returning to Canada from somewhere and HAVE gotten a negative PCR in the 72 hrs prior to arrival in Canada, then I'm ok. Still have to do the 14 day quarantine, but not at a Federally approved facility. Then someone boards the plane at a transit point under the 'rules' above.... i.e. untested.

 

However, I sat on the plane right beside the person that did NOT have a PCR.

This makes little sense to me.

 

If there is someone on the plane that did not have a negative PCR, why would not the ENTIRE plane be forced into the 'Federally approved Quarantine Facility'?? How can they know that the covid virus was not transmitted, if present, from the untested and therefore suspect traveler to the tested, and presumably 'safe' traveler???

 

Of course, this is only valid from places that require a connecting flight to Canada... which would be most places in SE asia.

 

Seems strange. But I guess only if you are trying to return to Canada from somewhere that does not have a direct flight.  SE asia perhaps??

 

 

 

On 1/1/2021 at 8:59 PM, User3 said:

Well, if you watched the CBC reporting on this issue..... you would see that the minister of transport has indicated that persons without the ability (due to location etc) to get a PCR would be allowed on the plane but would have to go to an "approved quarantine facility" on arrival in Canada.

So.  

If I, a Canadian citizen, visiting someplace where I cannot get a PCR test can convince, a) the Canadian gov't and b) the airline, that it's impossible for me to get the test, then I am allowed on the plane. But with the proviso that I have to go into quarantine in a "Federally approved facility" on arrival in Canada.

Nice.

 

BUT. If I am returning to Canada from somewhere and HAVE gotten a negative PCR in the 72 hrs prior to arrival in Canada, then I'm ok. Still have to do the 14 day quarantine, but not at a Federally approved facility. Then someone boards the plane at a transit point under the 'rules' above.... i.e. untested.

 

However, I sat on the plane right beside the person that did NOT have a PCR.

This makes little sense to me.

 

If there is someone on the plane that did not have a negative PCR, why would not the ENTIRE plane be forced into the 'Federally approved Quarantine Facility'?? How can they know that the covid virus was not transmitted, if present, from the untested and therefore suspect traveler to the tested, and presumably 'safe' traveler???

 

Of course, this is only valid from places that require a connecting flight to Canada... which would be most places in SE asia.

 

Seems strange. But I guess only if you are trying to return to Canada from somewhere that does not have a direct flight.  SE asia perhaps??

 

 

 

Both Japan and Taiwan are closed to transit passengers, without a passport for the transit country or a valid long stay visa for the transit country. These were popular transit points for Canadians and Americans traveling to Thailand.

 

Got the email from the Embassy this morning.
"Dear Canadian,
You are receiving this email because you are registered with the Government of Canada's Registration of Canadians Abroad (ROCA) service.

COVID-19 testing required for people flying into Canada
Starting January 7, 2021, air travellers 5 years of age or older will be required to present a negative COVID-19 test result to the airline prior to boarding international flights bound for Canada. See the news release for air travellers.

https://www.canada.ca/en/transport-canada/news/2020/12/pre-departure-covid-19-testing-and-negative-results-to-be-required-for-all-air-travellers-coming-to-canada.html

Mandatory 14-day quarantine or isolation
Everyone entering Canada must follow mandatory isolation or quarantine requirements. Not respecting the mandatory requirements is a serious offence with consequences and penalties." (My bolding.)


And in the 31 Dec press release:

"The Minister of Transport, the Honourable Marc Garneau, is requiring that, effective January 7, 2021, at 12:01 a.m. EST, all air passengers five years of age or older will be required to test negative for COVID-19 before travelling from another country to Canada. This implementation date provides all airlines, both foreign and domestic, adequate time to comply with the new requirements.

Documentation of a negative laboratory test result must be presented to the airline prior to boarding a flight to Canada. The test must be performed using a COVID-19 molecular polymerase chain reaction (or PCR) test and must be taken within 72 hours prior to the traveller’s scheduled departure to Canada.

Anyone who receives a negative test result and is authorized to enter Canada must still complete the full, mandatory 14-day quarantine." (My bolding.)

So even if you test negative you will still have to go into quarantine for 14 days.

Note the penalties:
"Violating any instructions provided when you enter Canada is an offence under the Quarantine Act and could lead to up to six months in prison and/or $750,000 in fines."