Canada has once again stiffened its requirements for people entering the country by adding a negative COVID-19 test requirement.
According to The Associated Press, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau revealed that all nonessential travelers arriving in Canada by land would be required to show proof of a negative PCR-based coronavirus test, starting on February 15.
Canadians returning to their home country without the proper COVID-19 tests will face fines of up to $2,370, as well as rigorous follow-ups by health officials. The order also applies to residents of Canada who reside in the United States part-time.
The land border will remain closed to nonessential, non-Canadian travelers.
As part of Prime Minister Trudeau’s previous changes, Canadians re-entering the country were already required to show a negative PCR-based COVID-19 test within three days of arriving.
Mandatory testing is being added to the arrival process at the four Canadian airports where international flights are still permitted, and air travelers are required to quarantine in a hotel at their own expense when they arrive.
Canada also suspended airline service to Mexico and all Caribbean destinations through April 30, with Trudeau saying the country would consider a ban on international travel.
Last week, the Minister of Transport, the Honorable Omar Alghabra, announced two new Interim Orders which prohibit pleasure craft in Canadian Arctic waters and cruise vessels in all Canadian waters until February 28, 2022.
