“As we move into the next phase of our response to COVID-19, it is important to remember that the pandemic is not over. We must continue to do what we can to protect ourselves and others from the virus,” he said. Jean-Yves. Douklos, the Minister of Health, stated in a press release. “As we have said for a long time, Canada’s border measures will remain flexible and adaptable, based on science and prudence.” The announcement also states that the suspension of COVID-19 random tests for airport arrivals will be extended until mid-July. The suspension started on June 11 and was to end on July 1. When announcing the suspension, the government said test returns would no longer take place at airports. There is also a suspension of the vaccination order for travelers, which started on June 20. PHAC said it was still working to transfer the tests outside airports and to stores, pharmacies and virtual appointments. “Moving out-of-airport trials will allow Canada to adapt to increased travel volume, while still being able to monitor and respond quickly to new variants of concern or changes in the epidemiological situation,” the statement said. At a news conference earlier Wednesday at Pearson International Airport in Mississauga, Transport Minister Omar Algabra said the government was working on the details. “It seems we need a little more time to deal with the logistics of his relocation from the airport,” Alghabra said. Transport Minister Omar Algabra told a news conference on Wednesday that the government was still considering how to move random COVID-19 tests to arrivals outside airports. (Adrian Wyld / The Canadian Press) He added that the tests are an important tool for monitoring the virus and any possible variations that may occur. “Random COVID testing is critical to maintaining an early warning system for our public health system,” he said. “We follow the advice of experts to continue to ensure that we receive some kind of data on the type of infection that is introduced in our country.” The PHAC news bulletin states that unvaccinated travelers must be quarantined 14 days after arrival, with mandatory COVID-19 testing on the first and eighth day. Random tests will continue to be performed at land border crossings and travelers must provide information through the ArriveCAN app within 72 hours prior to arrival in Canada. The app has been criticized by some business associations and border mayors, who say it works as a deterrent to some travelers.
Ongoing issues “unacceptable”: Alghabra
Alghabra defended his government’s approach to dealing with ongoing delays at some airports, saying it was focusing on hiring more staff for the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). He also noted the government’s suspension of some public health measures, such as ordering vaccines for air and train travel and random arrival tests. In addition to the long queues and flight cancellations at airports, travelers have expressed frustration with lost and delayed luggage. Algabra said he has spoken to many major airports and airlines about the problems. “What we are seeing today is that while many of these CATSA and CBSA issues have improved significantly, we continue to see delays, cancellations and baggage issues,” Alghabra said. “These are unacceptable issues. The government is doing what it can, and we have done what we could, and now we are working with airlines and airports to address these remaining issues.”
