Question Period Note: BORDER MEASURES - US

• What is the Government doing to protect Canadians at the Canada/United States border?

KEY MESSAGES
• Canada has established robust border measures, including quarantine and travel restrictions as well as pre-departure testing for travellers to Canada.
• U.S. citizens are permitted to travel directly from the United States to Alaska and vice-versa for non-discretionary purposes, such as going for work, and returning home.
• Some U.S. citizens are also permitted to enter Canada for legitimate work purposes, including to provide an essential service, or for compassionate reasons, as specified under the Orders in Council.
• U.S. citizens should not be taking the opportunity to travel within Canada for personal or discretionary reasons. This is an enforceable offence, with monetary penalties.
IF PRESSED ON LAND ARRIVALS
• As of February 15, 2021, all travellers arriving to Canada by land, with some exceptions, are required to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 molecular test result taken in the United States within 72 hours of pre-arrival, or a positive test taken 14 to 90 days prior to arrival.
• Fully-vaccinated travellers arriving by air or land, will continue to be required to complete the mandatory pre and on-arrival testing. However, they will now be permitted to leave quarantine upon receipt of a negative result from their on-arrival COVID-19 test, rather than after 14 days. These travellers will not be required to complete a day-8 test.
• We continue to collaborate with partners in the United States to strengthen our border measures and keep our countries safe.
• As evidence changes and the situation evolves, the Government of Canada will continue to consider easing border measures to keep Canadians safe and the economy running.

IF PRESSED ON VACCINATED TRAVELLERS/SNOWBIRDS RETURNING TO CANADA
• At this time, proof of vaccination will not replace other border measures, including the requirement to provide proof of a COVID-19 test result. Individuals who have been vaccinated are still required to quarantine on entry to Canada.
• A vaccine protects an individual from illness, but we need more evidence to understand if a vaccinated person can still transmit the virus.
IF PRESSED ON TRAVEL TO THE U.S. FOR HEALTH CARE
• We recognize that quarantine requirements have a significant impact on Canadians who have just received essential medical services or treatment outside of Canada.
• Persons who receive essential medical services in another country are now exempt from pre-arrival and pre-departure testing, testing on arrival, and mandatory quarantine requirements, provided certain conditions are met. These include a requirement for a licensed health care practitioner indicating that the medical services are essential.
• Additionally, the Chief Public Health Officer has issued an exemption for asymptomatic Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or persons with status under the Indian Act who accompany a dependent child, or an asymptomatic person requiring assistance, in accessing the essential medical services or treatment.

IF PRESSED ON CANADA’S APPROACH TO EASING OF BORDER MEASURES

• The Government of Canada continues to strongly advise Canadians to avoid all non-essential travel to mitigate the further introduction and transmission of COVID-19, and its variants, into Canada.
• As vaccination progresses throughout the country, the Government of Canada’s approach to easing of border requirements will remain science and risk-based, and closely tied to important public health measures.
• The first phase of easing Canada’s border measures will begin with allowing travellers who are fully vaccinated and who are currently allowed to enter Canada to do so without the requirement to stay in government-authorized accommodations.
• To meet the definition of fully-vaccinated, a traveller must have received the full dosage for a vaccine series accepted by Health Canada. The last dosage must have been administered at least 14 days prior to entering Canada. Vaccines accepted by the Government of Canada do not have to have been administered while in Canada to be accepted.
• The traveller can receive their vaccine in any country and the list of vaccines could expand in the future.
• These travellers are still required to have a pre-departure and on-arrival molecular test, and quarantine until they receive a negative arrival test result.
• As evidence changes and the situation evolves, the Government of Canada will continue to work with provinces and territories to consider further targeted restrictions at the borders – and when to lift or adjust them - to keep Canadians safe.

BACKGROUND
Between February 3, 2020 and May 21, 2021, the Governor in Council has made 53 Emergency Orders under the Quarantine Act to minimize the risk of exposure to COVID-19 in Canada – to reduce risks from other countries, to repatriate Canadians, and to strengthen measures at the border to reduce the impact of COVID-19 in Canada.
A travel ban is currently in place for most people entering Canada, including:
• Foreign nationals entering from the U.S., across all modes, for non-essential travel including recreation and/or tourism purposes;
• Foreign nationals entering Canada if they arrive from a foreign country other than the U.S., with some exceptions, such as those delivering essential services; and
• Foreign nationals entering from any country with signs or symptoms of respiratory illness.
As of February 15, 2021, travellers five years of age and over entering at Canada’s land ports of entry, unless exempted, are required to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 molecular test result taken in the United States within 72 hours before their arrival at the border, or proof of a positive COVID-19 test conducted between 14 and 90 days prior to arrival (similar to the existing requirement for pre-departure testing for air travellers).
As of February 22, 2021, all travellers, with limited exceptions, whether arriving by air or land, are required to
• submit their travel and contact information, including a suitable quarantine plan, electronically via ArriveCAN before boarding their flight or crossing the border;
• take a COVID-19 molecular test on arrival; and
• take a COVID-19 molecular test later during their quarantine.
On June 9, 2021, Ministers Hadju and Leblanc spoke to plans to begin easing some border measures including Phase I of a phased approach to introduce certain exemptions for fully vaccinated travellers who are already eligible to enter Canada.
Fully vaccinated individuals are defined as having received the recommended dose of a Health Canada-accepted COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days prior to entering Canada. These individuals would still be required to have a negative pre-departure molecular test, would be required to be tested upon arrival and quarantine until they receive a negative arrival test result. They could then be released from quarantine requirements upon receipt of that negative test result.
Testing is available on site at 5 of Canada’s busiest land ports of entry as of February 22, 2021.This service will be available as of March 4, 2021 at another 11 land ports of entry. At land ports of entry with no on-site testing capacity, Border Services Officers will provide two take-home test swabs kits to every traveller.
Cross-border supply chains are vital to ensure the continued flow of goods, including food and medical supplies for all Canadians. As such, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is working with other federal partners to share information with commercial stakeholders to provide assurances that commercial traffic is not impeded.
Border Presence
Canada has 117 land border points of entry, 12 large international airports, 4 commercial marine ports, and 3 rail stations. PHAC has increased the physical presence of its designated officers, including quarantine officers, at 33 points of entry across Canada, including major land borders.

Testing is available on site at 16 of Canada’s busiest land ports of entry as of March 4, 2021. At land ports of entry with no on-site testing capacity, Border Services Officers will provided two take-home test swabs kits to every traveller.

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