by David Klemt

Today’s the Day: Canada Opens Border

by David Klemt

Canadian Border Services Agency sign on chainlink fence

The big day is here and Canada is opening their border to the USA.

Today, Americans and permanent residents can enter the country for “discretionary,” a.k.a. non-essential, travel.

Of course, the border is only open to travelers who can prove their vaccination status (full series).

Quarantine Lifted

As many Canadians are well aware, quarantining was mandatory for people traveling into Canada up until today.

Asymptomatic travelers, with very specific exemptions, were required to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival. The mandatory quarantine included a three-night stay at a hotel authorized by the Canadian government.

Oh, and the traveler had to cover the cost of the mandatory hotel stay.

However, that wasn’t all that was required. Travelers had to create and submit a quarantine plan. Foreign national who failed to submit a plan deemed suitable faced the risk of border agents turning them away.

Of course, the mandatory quarantine dissuaded Canadians from traveling across the border for essential travel. After all, Canadians weren’t exempt from hotel quarantine.

Requirements

Now, Americans or permanent residents residing in America aren’t receiving unfettered access to the border. Indeed, there are requirements that must be met for anyone hoping to cross into Canada from the US.

Per the Government of Canada website, in its entirety for clarity:

“Beginning on August 9th, 2021 at 12:01 a.m. EDT, fully vaccinated United States (U.S.) citizens and permanent residents will be eligible to enter Canada for discretionary (non-essential) reasons, such as tourism, however these individuals must:

  1. be fully vaccinated: to be considered fully vaccinated, a traveller must have received the full series of a vaccine—or combination of vaccines—accepted by the Government of Canada at least 14 days prior to entering Canada. Currently, those vaccines are manufactured by Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD, and Janssen (Johnson & Johnson).
  2. be residing in and travelling from the U.S.;
  3. have a valid pre-arrival COVID-19 molecular test result taken in the U.S. (antigen tests are not accepted);
  4. be asymptomatic;
  5. submit their mandatory information via ArriveCAN, including proof of vaccination in English or French;
  6. be admissible under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act; and,
  7. take a test on arrival, if required.”

So, if you or someone you know is planning to travel to Canada from America, make sure you follow the requirements precisely.

Operators, Be Ready

So far, news of increasing infection and hospitalization rates aren’t impacting Canada’s decision; the border is open as of today. Neither New York City’s vaccine mandate nor an increasing amount of counties and corporations implementing mask and vaccine mandates are deterring Canada.

Additionally, it doesn’t appear as though the Canadian government plans to implement other travel requirements (so far).

Canadian restaurant, bar, hotel, and entertainment venue operators need to be ready for an influx of guests. This is particularly true for operators in large metropolitan areas and well-known tourist destinations.

Pent-up demand for travel, experiences, reunions, weddings, and just escape should skyrocket with the Canada-US border reopening.

Also, should things go well, operators need to prepare for even more travels next month. While not written in stone, Canada plans to open the country’s borders to other countries on September 7.

Interestingly, this is also excellent news for those waiting to open a restaurant or bar. Plans to reopen borders should prove to be a boon for the Canadian economy. So, now’s the time to move forward.

Canadian operators must be vigilant about monitoring the border situation. Fresh opportunities arrive on your doorstep starting today.

Image: Hermes Rivera on Unsplash

Top