Changes to Land Border Entry for Canadians with Positive Test

[Jrb1979]

My hope is by spring the travel advisory will be dropped and this won't be an issue.

 

[mevelandry]

The federal government has updated their "Testing for Travelers" page. They will not deny entry to Canadians but are threatening that there "may" be up to a $5000 fine per traveler if presenting a positive test for reentry at a land border. They want those who test positive to remain in the U.S. for 15 days before returning.

https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/t...ovid-19-testing-travellers-coming-into-canada
The only announcement I could find was on the PHAC twitter feed yesterday.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1480993813116211202

I have searched and been unable to find exactly what "may" trigger the fine. Hopefully media outlets will get a hold of this and there will be some clarification.

This is ridiculous. They changed the isolation period from 10 days to 5 days before returning to work/schoolif you have no symptoms.

It should be the same with travelling (land, air, etc.) …

 

[momof2gr8kids]

The rules are pretty clear. If you test positive you are to quarantine in the US for 11 days. The point of them possibly fining people is to enforce people to not come home with Covid symptoms.

That's what I think. To stop you from driving through the US having contact with others along the way.

 

[marty3d]

This is ridiculous. They changed the isolation period from 10 days to 5 days before returning to work/schoolif you have no symptoms.

It should be the same with travelling (land, air, etc.) …

Ontario changed it to 5 days. Crossing the land border is under Federal law. I'm not saying it's the right decision, just that each jurisdiction is setting it's own rules.

 

[grantclaire]

You guys are too focused on the $5000 fine part. The bigger thing is having to quarantine out of country for 11 days if you have symptoms or test positive.

Better to stay in Florida then to risk the fine I am thinking!

 

[grantclaire]

This is ridiculous. They changed the isolation period from 10 days to 5 days before returning to work/schoolif you have no symptoms.

It should be the same with travelling (land, air, etc.) …

I just saw that 3 Maple Leafs have tested positive in St Louis. Are they going to have to stay in the U.S. for 11 days?

 

[Juventus]

So to get this straight; if I get covid tomorrow, in Canada, and have pcr proof, I'm good to travel for the next 180 days? I wouldn't even need to test on the way back into Canada via land?

 

[Jrb1979]

So to get this straight; if I get covid tomorrow, in Canada, and have pcr proof, I'm good to travel for the next 180 days? I wouldn't even need to test on the way back into Canada via land?

No cause you need a negative test that's 3 days from returning. Also according to what was posted if you have symptoms and don't get tested you would have to quarantine as well.

 

[chimo2u]

I know someone that just paid for a PCR test…(tested positive on Rapid) …because they’ll need PCR for travel. .. you can still get a PCR test, just have to pay for it

Yes, my son was to fly from Ontario back to Alberta last Friday. Was exposed over New Years and to be safe paid out of pocket $180 for a private PCR test which came back positive. He's flying home tonight. but that test was done on his own dime as he was out of province, a military member and didn't want to fly infected. Bad part about PCR to me would be they are invasive ( the whole swab up high in the nose!) I haven't had a covid test myself yet, and this scares the beggsus out of me! I sure hope by the time I go on my trip next October things have lightented up with testing. The hard part will be getting all 4 of us to test NEGATIVE all at once! If one of us is positive there goes 25K

 

[Madame]

So to get this straight; if I get covid tomorrow, in Canada, and have pcr proof, I'm good to travel for the next 180 days? I wouldn't even need to test on the way back into Canada via land?

Almost better to have had a positive result and a medical note…….

 

[accm]

So to get this straight; if I get covid tomorrow, in Canada, and have pcr proof, I'm good to travel for the next 180 days? I wouldn't even need to test on the way back into Canada via land?

It depends on where your going, but mostly yes. You'd need to wait a certain number of days since your PCR result, and for the US you also need a note from your doctor saying you're fit to travel. And no test would be needed for 180 days to return to canada either via air or land.

 

[damo]

Almost better to have had a positive result and a medical note…….

Problem is that in lots of places, you can't get a PCR test right now unless you pay for it out of pocket. Lots of people are going to get covid in the next little bit but won't have proof that they have it that can be used to cross the border. To make things worse, they might continue to test positive in the next weeks to months making it difficult to get a negative test to cross the border.

 

[accm]

I get what everyone is saying about crossing the land border, but you need to remember, that if you're sick, you should be isolating. By you crossing the border with a positive test result, you are putting the border agent (and anyone else you come into contact with that works there) in danger of getting covid.

My guess is this was a result of people saying that if they tested positive that they would just rent a car and drive across.

 

[Aug2020distrip]

Problem is that in lots of places, you can't get a PCR test right now unless you pay for it out of pocket. Lots of people are going to get covid in the next little bit but won't have proof that they have it that can be used to cross the border. To make things worse, they might continue to test positive in the next weeks to months making it difficult to get a negative test to cross the border.

Right?! They are making it hard. My husband got covid last week but we found a pcr place however it’s the process gov one so of course doesn’t show what we need. But to pay for a private one is about $250. So we are taking a gamble and hoping my time we go end of April/early may this thing is scrapped lol

 

[wdwmom3]

So to get this straight; if I get covid tomorrow, in Canada, and have pcr proof, I'm good to travel for the next 180 days? I wouldn't even need to test on the way back into Canada via land?

Yes. You are correct.

 

[Prince John Robin Hood]

They are essentially denying entry to a Canadian citizen who can’t afford a fine of $5000. We should all be concerned about that.

We aren’t talking about the government helping you get home. We are talking about them denying entry to Canadian citizens who are in their own vehicle and wish to go their own home.

This is my biggest issue. They can't deny entry so they introduce measures to discourage people returning home who are positive. It reminds me of the quarantine hotels where you could refuse and pay a fine instead. If you're rich there has never been a restriction you couldn't bypass by paying.

 

[CaptainCook]

If you get a positive PCR in Canada, you can travel to many locations starting 14 days after the date of that positive test. For some destinations you can travel for 90 days and others 180 days without requiring another test, and you won’t require a test to come back to Canada (either pre-departure or on-arrival) for 180 days.

We just got DD’s test result back and it was POSITIVE. We are thrilled! Never thought I’d say that about a positive Covid test, ha ha. Her test was done 14 days after her positive home test/onset of symptoms which was the earliest the lab would do it since they are a lab for asymptomatic patients only.

I really think anyone who thinks they have Covid should pay for a PCR test for themselves out of pocket if they have to, if they think they might want to travel during the next six months, in order to document the timeline of their illness. This will certainly make things much, much easier (and less expensive) for us should we decide to travel over March Break.

 

[mevelandry]

I just saw that 3 Maple Leafs have tested positive in St Louis. Are they going to have to stay in the U.S. for 11 days?

We should find out soon enough.

 

[starlite_]

I can't believe the rules are so dumb it's easier to just get a positive result and travel afterwards with that, like what?!

 

[Dawg74]

We are in Florida right now but flying back to Buffalo today and getting tested at Walgreens in Buffalo. I did this on the basis that we could drive home and quarantine at home if we tested positive. We aren’t sick but I guess we could be asymptomatic….. becoming aware of the possibility of a huge fine is stressful. I would have tested here and stayed here if positive had I known this was a possibility. Wish us luck today. I am at the airport in Orlando now. My goodness I hope all this crap improves in 2022!