Meanwhile, the travel ban is tightening. Now they want a negative PCR test AND 14 day quarantine? Begs the question, WHAT are they really gathering w the PCR tests? DNA?
Canada to require air travellers to test negative for virus before arrival
Edmonton Journal (Print Edition)·Bill Kaufmann
CA|December 31, 2020·08:00am
Edition: Early·Section: City + Region·Page: A2
CALGARY The federal government's plans to require air travellers to test negative for COVID-19 before landing in Canada will discourage what little globe-trotting there is, say Alberta travel agents.
Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc says cabinet ministers decided Wednesday to quickly enact the new requirement.
All passengers on flights entering Canada will require a negative PCR test three days before their arrival.
LeBlanc didn't say when the requirement will be in place but under it, arrivals into the country will still be required to undergo a 14-day quarantine.
That will have a particular impact on the willingness of Canadians to leave the country, say travel agents.
"People who want to go away, now they're saying you'll have to find a test in a foreign country," said Robin Zayonce of Marlin Travel, adding the rule will likely smother a stirring among Albertans to consider travelling.
"We were just getting phone calls (again)."
And she said the lack of details in the new measure only creates "panic" among travellers and prospective travellers.
Travel agent Heather Turner said she suspects it's a tool for Ottawa to reduce international travel, which it's been trying to do since the start of the pandemic.
"It's absolutely another way to discourage it, when you have to get test results back in 72 hours in a foreign country, it's just another layer of making things complicated," said Turner.
"But it's really not surprising - the government's taken a lot of criticism for not closing the border."
As the pandemic drags on, she said the measure will likely be followed by others, such as pandemic travel certificates adopted by various countries.
The announcement follows criticism that federal travel restrictions and quarantine rules have been too lax.
It also comes as Ontario's finance minister finds himself in hot water over travelling out of the country despite Canadians being asked to avoid such trips.
The Alberta government on Wednesday said the new requirement won't impact a pilot project at the Calgary International Airport and the Coutts border crossing, where COVID-19 tests are offered with two negative results ensuring a shorter mandatory quarantine period.
"Alberta has had good success with the border pilot, and we were assured today that the federal government continues to support the pilot," said Alberta Health spokeswoman Jessica Lucenko in an email.
"The new pre-departure testing introduced by the federal government does not replace the need to quarantine on arrival or undergo testing if an individual wishes to be in our pilot."
WestJet was reviewing the new restriction and awaiting more details on Wednesday before commenting more substantially, said spokeswoman Morgan Bell. - With files from The Canadian Press BKaufmann@postmedia.com Twitter: @Billkaufmannjrn