Canada takes its first step in loosening border restrictions

From this week, fully vaccinated incoming citizens or permanent residents no longer need to quarantine when returning to Canada. It marks the first phase in Canada's border reopening plans.

The relaxed border rules came into effect on July 5, though no timeline has been set for when Canada will open its borders to non-essential international travelers.

Under the updated system, fully vaccinated citizens and permanent residents entering Canada for non-essential purposes, as well as foreign nationals traveling to Canada for approved or essential purposes, can skip hotel quarantine. These arrivals are still required to meet some public health measures, including presenting proof of full vaccination and proof of a negative COVID-19 test result before travel, in addition to taking a second test upon arrival.

Toronto is in the second phase of Ontario's three-phase reopening plan ©Diego Grandi/Shutterstock

To be considered fully vaccinated, arrivals must have received their last dose of an accepted vaccine at least 14 days before departure. Accepted vaccines include Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca or Johnson & Johnson. Travelers must uploaded proof of vaccination and test results to the ArriveCan app before boarding their flight.

Arrivals must also "present a suitable quarantine plan, and be prepared to quarantine, in case it is determined at the border that they do not meet all of the conditions required to be exempt from quarantine."

There are no changes to border restrictions for unvaccinated travelers, who are required to book a three-night stay at a government-approved hotel at their own expense before flying to Canada.

"This is the first phase of our precautionary approach to easing Canada’s border measures. At this time we are not opening up our borders any further," Dominic Le Blanc, minister of intergovernmental affairs, said in a statement.

Some Niagara Falls attractions have opened on the Canadian side ©CPQ/Shutterstock

There were some suggestions in June that Canada would loosen travel restrictions for fully vaccinated travelers along the Canada - US border, but land borders between the two countries were extended for another 30 days through July 21.

"At this time, the government of Canada continues to strongly advise Canadians to avoid non-essential travel. Although the future is looking brighter than it has for a long time, with COVID-19 cases on a downward trend and vaccination efforts going well across the country, we can’t let our guard down," added Bill Blair, the minister of public safety.

Currently, about 68% of Canada’s population has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, according to Canada's official vaccine tracker. Almost 36% of the population is fully vaccinated.

As Canada emerges from a third wave of the pandemic, multiple provinces are relaxing pandemic rules. Indoor dining has returned to British Columbia, Québec permitted outdoor dining from May 28 and dropped curfew, while Ontario and Alberta are working through a three-stage reopening plan for summer. Major attractions have opened up across the country, including Niagara Falls, which is open for viewing in Queen Victoria Park. With the increasing spread of the Delta variant, steps to fully reopen the country will be taken cautiously.

At this time, inter-provincial travel is discouraged. And while international travel is off the cards, on July 2, 2021, Air Canada began operating government-approved COVID-tested flights to Italy from Toronto and Montréal, similar to a quarantine-free scheme that that Delta and American Airlines are offering US travelers.