Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced today that starting on August 9th they will open the U.S.-Canada border for travel, allowing U.S. citizens and permanent residents in the United States who are fully vaccinated with Canadian-authorized vaccines. The borders had been closed since March 2020 due to the pandemic.
Approved vaccines include Pfizer-BioNTech, AstraZeneca, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson. The travelers must be fully vaccinated at least 14 days prior to departure. Children under the age of 12 who are not yet eligible for a vaccine will be exempt from the 14-day quarantine requirement as long as they travel with a parent or guardian and meet all public health requirements.
There are no changes to the mandatory testing requirements for unvaccinated travelers. A COVID-19 molecular test has to be taken within 72 hours of traveling to Canada. The negative COVID test will have to be uploaded on the Canadian government app.
International travelers may also be allowed to enter Canada beginning September 7, provided that the “COVID-19 epidemiology remains favorable,” the Canadian government said in statement released Monday.
According to the Canadian government, anyone who submits false information on a vaccination status form could be liable to a fine of “up to $750,000 or six months imprisonment.”
This announcment comes just weeks after the European Union began lifting travel restrictions.
All major cruise lines and tour companies had cancelled their Canada trips until 2022. We will have to watch for announcements in the coming days if they will be able to at least schedule their fall foliage trips in Eastern Canada or tour the Canadian Rockies for the month of September into early October, which is typically the end of the tour season before the weather gets too cold in the region.
