Canada has new travel rules as Omicron bans roll out. Here’s what you need to know before heading to the airport or border

Thestar.com
Dec. 1, 2021

After a one month grace period that allowed for negative COVID test results in place of proof of vaccination, unvaccinated travellers will, for the most part, no longer be allowed to get on a plane or passenger train in Canada.

Transport Canada made the announcement in October and allowed travellers until Nov. 29 to show a negative molecular (PCR) test taken within 72 hours of travel in place of proof of vaccination.

The changes take place on the same day Ontario marks a grim milestone surpassing 10,000 COVID-19 deaths in the province. The national death toll is nearing 30,000.

That same day, Canada introduced mandatory COVID-19 testing to most air travellers entering Canada regardless of their vaccination status.

This is the latest on changes to COVID-19 travel measures.

What are the new travel rules?

Starting Tuesday, Nov. 30, all travellers entering Canada by air will need to be tested for COVID-19 on arrival, regardless of their vaccination status, except if they’re travelling from the U.S. Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos said in a press conference Tuesday.

The same day, Ottawa expanded its travel ban to foreign nationals who recently travelled to Egypt, Malawi or Nigeria. This is in addition to previous travel restrictions on seven different African countries.

Starting Nov. 30 all passengers 12 and older must present proof of vaccination in order to board a plane or train in Canada.

If your child recently turned 12, there is a four-month exemption period following the child’s 12th birthday in which they won’t be required to be vaccinated or tested. Canada says this gives children enough time to be fully vaccinated.

The rules do not apply to commuter trains, including GO Transit and UP Express trains operating by Metrolinx.

While all Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and persons registered under the Indian Act will still be able to enter the country regardless of their vaccination status, they won’t be permitted to travel “beyond their point of entry within Canada on a connecting flight or by rail” with limited exemptions. Some of these exemptions include travel from remote communities, medical reasons, and “sincere religious belief.”

Most travellers who qualify for an exemption will also need to have proof of a negative molecular (PCR) test taken within 72 hours prior to boarding.

The new requirements took effect Oct. 30 but the federal government gave travellers a month during which a negative molecular COVID-19 (PCR) test taken within 72 hours of boarding could be used in place of proof of vaccination.

While Canadian children between the ages of 5 and 11 are now allowed to be vaccinated, unvaccinated children 12 years and four months of age or younger are not required to show results of a COVID-19 test in order to travel domestically or leave Canada. However, international destinations may have different regulations.

Other requirements like mask wearing, having a valid passport, meeting health and pre-boarding screening requirements are still in place. Children younger than six are not required to wear a mask.

False claims are a criminal offence and can be subject to Transport Canada fines.

No more negative COVID tests for Canadians taking short trips

Also starting Tuesday, the federal government lifted testing requirements for Canadians taking short cross-border trips.

Starting Nov. 30, fully vaccinated Canadians, permanent residents and people allowed entry into Canada will no longer require a negative COVID-19 test in order to re-enter the country on trips shorter than 72 hours.

The new rule does not apply to foreign nationals, international students or foreign workers.

More Canadian airports allowed to receive international flights

Canada’s more stringent travel vaccine measures also come into effect the same day Transport Canada is easing restrictions on international passenger flights.

The following airports can now resume receiving international flights:

St. John’s International; John C. Munro Hamilton International; Region of Waterloo International; Regina International; Saskatoon John G. Diefenbaker International; Kelowna International; Abbotsford International; Victoria International

The eight airports are in addition to the 10 Canadian airports that are already allowed to receive international flights, including airports in Halifax, Quebec, Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, Ottawa, Edmonton, Winnipeg, and Vancouver.

The latest on new Omicron variant

The new measures come into effect on the heels of the recent discovery of the new Omicron variant in Canada.

As of Monday, Canada has identified five cases of Omicron: four in Ottawa and one in Quebec. Public health officials are still investigating two additional suspected cases in Hamilton.

There is very little that is known about the new variant first discovered in South Africa this month. Omicron has a large number of mutations and the World Health Organization (WHO) believes it is more transmissible and has already spread widely.

The discovery of the new variant quickly sparked global travel bans, with countries racing to bar travel to and from countries in Southern Africa. However, Omicron has already been discovered in places like Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Hong Kong, Israel, Portugal, and the United Kingdom. In some cases like the one in Belgium, travellers had reported no connection to Southern Africa at all.

The WHO has slammed the travel bans, echoing sentiments from many that South Africa and its neighbouring countries is now being penalized for doing what it had been asked to do by the larger global community in detecting the new variant. The country is grappling with a lightning fast spread of the new highly-transmissable variant, especially among young people.