Bargain-hunting British Columbians head south as COVID-19 border test requirement lifts

Vaccinated people no longer need to show a negative COVID-19 test to enter Canada, opening the door for cross-border shoppers to return to Washington state.

It was a big day in Bellingham for cross-border shoppers. Many British Columbians took advantage of the end of having to show a negative COVID-19 test to reenter Canada.

“It’s going to make life simpler, a lot of trips more often, more likely,” Brent Jackson told Global News as he filled up on American gas.

“One of our kids has a big truck, and I know he’ll take the opportunity to cross the border on a regular basis to fill up, because it will save him an enormous amount of money.”

As of Friday, only unvaccinated or partially-vaccinated travellers will need to provide a negative test or proof they recently recovered from COVID to enter Canada. Though, travellers entering Canada will also still need to fill out the ArriveCAN app.

North Surrey resident Pamela Blackmon, who said she’d crossed regularly into Washington under the old rules, at great expense,  called the changes “a big deal.”

“It’s exciting for me because it’s like a mini-vacay,” she said, adding that she likes to visit the area to run on the local trails, and to shop.

“The meat and cheese and eggs and the gas of course,” she said. “I think it’s going to be exhilarating for people who do cross-border shopping.”

The savings for cross-border shoppers on those key items are significant, based on prices observed by Global News on Friday.